The United Nations should play a central role in coordinating the aid efforts for helping the Asian tsunami victims, British International Development Secretary Hilary Benn said in London on Saturday.

"The big challenge for all of us is to make sure that effort is coordinated. And the United Nations must play the central role in making that happen," Benn said in an interview with the BBC radio.

Benn's remarks came as international aid starts to penetrate the areas worst affected by last Sunday's Indian Ocean wave, after the United States said

Friday it planned to increase 10-fold its contribution to 350 million US dollars to help the survivors.

On Saturday, the donations from the British public to the fund for the victims of the Asian tsunami reached 50 million pounds (about 96.5 million dollars).

According to charities organizers, the Tsunami Earthquake Appeal, set up by the Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella group for leading charities, has been receiving up to one-million-pound (1.93 million dollars) donations from the public within an hour.

The public donation has matched the pledge from the British government, which has raised its contribution from 15 million to 50 million pounds, making it one of the largest international donors.

Source: Xinhua