Business organisations across the West Midlands are to hold a fundraising event for earthquake-torn Kashmir and Pakistan.
The Institute of Asian Businesses is working with Birmingham City Council and other groups to put together a fundraising event on October 27, including a charity auction.
More details of the event are expected to be announced at a press conference at the Council House today.
Masood Butt, general manager of the IAB, told The Birmingham Post that many members had contacted the institute yesterday to tell of their losses.
"Many have lost relatives and quite a few have lost property out there too," he said.
"A real problem at the moment is the communications with the area hit.
"The infrastructure is quite bad anyway and what with the damage caused by the quake and the fact the entire world is trying to contact Pakistan and Kashmir at the moment, many members are simply in the dark."
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Meanwhile mosques across Birmingham launched their own fundraising campaigns to support the thousands left destitute by the earthquake.
Special prayers were being said during daily prayer sessions and books of condolence were opened.
Their campaign has been bolstered by the city's civic leaders who announced an appeal to assist the relief effort as the quake death toll reached 40,000.
People are being urged to donate to a raft of charities and aid agencies to allow money to go directly where it is needed most.
More than 90,000 of the city's population originate from the Azad Kashmir region, which was the epicentre of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake.
The disaster has struck during the holy month of Ramadam during which Muslims traditionally fast in the daytime hours and cut down on their social activities.
Dr Mohammed Naseem, of Birmingham's Central Mosque, whose brother survived the quake, said: "We are trying to support those who are grieving and have already launched our own relief campaign to which people are donating.
"Many people in Birmingham have roots in the area affected so it's a great tragedy for this city."
Mohammed Yassin, general secretary of the Madrassa Faiz-Ul Quaran Ghausia mosque in Albert Road, Stechford, said: "Many local families are in agony waiting for news."
Five firemen from the West Midlands Fire Service's rescue team are involved in the massive rescue operation which swung into action within hours of the disaster.
The team includes Divisional Officer Alan Pellowe, Station Officer Pete Mills and Firefighters Phil Webb, Stuart Downes and Paul Jobbins.
The team from the West Midlands have been tasked to do the command support role for all of the fire and rescue Services and other nongovernment teams deployed to Muzaffarabad.
This is due to the vast experience the team gained from dealing with the recent earthquake in Turkey.
A spokeswoman for the West Midlands Fire Service said: "The role involves coordinating the resources, knowing where all the rescue teams are, how long they have been in situ and organising relief for them, they are running the logistics of the equipment and the personnel and ensuring safe systems of work throughout.
"All of the West Midland steam are doing well and have no injuries or problems, despite experiencing aftershocks in the region overnight."
The UK teams are working together across a 19 square mile area and, since the start of light yesterday, have recovered eight live casualties.
Birmingham's Lord Mayor Coun John Hood launched an appeal through his office.
He said: "I would like to, on behalf of the City of Birmingham, express my condolences to all the people affected by the earthquake in South Asia. I would ask all the people of Birmingham, irrespective of their race, creed or colour, to support this fund, by donating money to help alleviate some of the suffering in the area."
Meanwhile, Coun Dave Shilton, chairman of Warwick District Council, said: "I want to express the deep sadness of the entire council at the recent tragic events in Pakistan."
