The Department of Foreign Affairs has said it is expecting "quite a number" of Irish casualties from the terrorist attacks in the United States.
Scores of anxious people continued to call the Department yesterday after failing to make contact with loved ones in New York and Washington. Queries have been made about over 1,000 Irish people and a Department spokesman said last night: "There will be quite a number of further casualties."
The Department is preparing for a lengthy operation and staff are waiting for the all-clear to fly to the US to help colleagues in the Irish Consulate in New York and the Irish Embassy in Washington.
A Department spokeswoman said officials in Dublin and the US were in almost continuous contact with the New York Police Department, the fire service and hospitals in the city. She said communications with the US were improving but it was still difficult to get reliable information. She urged anyone with concerns about a loved one in the US to get in touch.
"Even if they are making their own efforts to locate them, we are in a position to have some sort of official liaison role. The more people working on this, the better."
The Department helplines are on freephone numbers: 1800-715165; 1800-715159; 1800-401800 and 1800-385858.
Concerned relatives can also contact the Irish consulates in the US directly on 001-212 319 2555 (New York) and 001-202 462 3939 (Washington). The Irish embassy in Washington has also established an e-mail helpline: embirlus@aol.com