The devastating earthquake in Nepal hits home for some Westchester residents who have family members living in the ravaged country.

The death toll from the 7.8-magnitude quake has risen to more than 2,500, a number that expected to keep rising.

The small but close-knit Nepalese community in Westchester has been glued to their TVs since the earthquake struck.

News 12 spoke with the owner of Yorktown Nepalese restaurant Jewel of the Himalya. Gyaljen Nuru Sherpa says he has been receiving sporadic updates from relatives. He says that parts of his home country have been left almost unrecognizable.

Sherpa says that while none of his relatives lost their lives, their homes have been leveled like so many others. Despite the destruction, he says that his relatives are thankful to be alive amid a tragedy that has already claimed so many lives.

In terms of aid, the American Red Cross is coordinating efforts with the Nepal Red Cross Society.