The International Federation of Red Cross Societies will probably fly two emergency hospitals from Europe today to help treat victims of India's worst earthquake in a century, an official said.
Mr Tony Maryon, a disaster relief officer based in Geneva, said an assessment team had begun work in the worst-hit Gujarat area of western India at dawn and was more than likely to request the immediate deployment of medical assistance.
"We have two mobile hospitals on standby, one in Finland and the other in Germany, that can be deployed within 24 hours", said Maryon, "these are emergency field hospitals with various units - 150 to 200 or 250 beds."
Mr Maryon was in Pakistan examining drought conditions when the earthquake struck. Officially eight people died in Pakistan but newspapers reported more. He said treatment for the injured was the top priority.
Mr Maryon said the international group, an umbrella for national Red Cross and Red Crescent organisations, had launched an initial appeal for donations.