A blast hit the foyer of the Manchester Arena at around 10:30 pm on Monday evening, just after Ariana Grande had left the stage. Early Tuesday, the number of fatalities rose to 22, with another 59 injured.

The US pop singer immediately responded on Twitter and Facebook with a simple apology.

Fellow American pop divas Taylor Swift and Katy Perry were also quick to add their condolences.

The hashtags #MissinginManchester and #RoomForManchester began trending during the night, offering a platform for those either searching for unaccounted loved ones or those left without accommodation following the tragedy.

Manchester's mayor lauded the spirit of solidarity in his city.

Many posted photos on Twitter of young people who were still missing and feared among the dead. The images drive home the fact that the concert audience was largely made up of teens and young people.

A number of Manchester locals jumped in with offers of beds - and even basics like the chance to charge a mobile phone or just grab a cup of coffee after the strenuous night in the central English city.

Meanwhile, others on Twitter demonstrated not only solidarity with the victims, but sheer anger at the perpetrators. The Manchester attack follows a slew of recent acts of terror in cities like Paris, Ankara, Brussels, Nice, London, Berlin and others.