Tsunami toll may top 100,000, 400 Chinese missing

The International Red Cross feared Wednesday the death toll in Sunday's earthquake and tsunamis in the Indian Ocean could top 100,000, according to reports from Geneva.

"We're facing a disaster of unprecedented proportion in nature," said Simon Missiri, Asia Pacific chief at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The agency's current estimate is 77,000, but it fears that could rise. Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Thailand are four hardest hit countries in the disaster, accounting for over 70,000 deaths.

The official death toll, based on figures provided by each affected country, has risen to over 80,000.

400 Chinese missing

At least 25 injured Chinese were in local hospitals in Thailand alone, Sakarn Suthipradit, minister of the Royal Thai Embassy in China, said Wednesday.

About 400 Chinese are still missing, said a report by China Daily.

The latest data from Hong Kong authorities said at least 388 residents have not yet contacted their families, while 664 are still trapped in the region struck by the tsunami catastrophe.

Of those 388 residents, 325 went missing in Phuket, 14 in Sri Lanka, seven in Malaysia, six in Maldives and the remainder in other countries.

Also missing in the hit areas are about 2,000 Scandinavians and 1,000 Germans.

The Hong Kong government has dispatched a 120-strong search team to trace Hong Kong residents, said Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee.

Five more mainlanders and eight from Taiwan are also missing in Phuket, according to Pan Guangxue, a counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand.

In Beijing, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and visiting Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar of Sri Lanka stood for a minute of silence for the victims before their official talks.

A minute of silence was also observed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange yesterday before its opening.

Hong Kong Travel Industry Council Executive Director Joseph Tung said all 1,300 group tourists in 30 to 40 tours visiting Phuket have returned.

Substantially increase aid

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing Wednesday night held a joint meeting with leading officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Health, China Seismological Bureau and army units, and discussed substantially increasing relief supplies and spot exchange to the disaster-hit countries.

During the meeting, they decided to take further aid measures: to set up an medical treatment team with more than 100 personnel which is ready to head for those countries within 24 hours in case it is needed.

The field hospital as well as the search and rescue group of China's international rescue team has been ready to leave for the tsunami-hit countries.

The Ministry of Commerce will work with relevant departments to prepare and send the additional relief supplies.

Meanwhile, the Chinese experts will continue to join the rescue team of international organizations such as the World Health Organization, and head for the disaster areas.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao set great store by the aid to tsunami-hit countries and they instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs time and again on the aid to the disaster-hit countries and people.

By People's Daily Online