Tsunami claimed many tourists

2004-12-29 11:36

Bangkok - Most of the estimated 1 500 people still missing after tidal waves smashed into southern Thailand are foreign tourists, a top rescue official said on Wednesday.

Sunthorn Riewluang, director general of the interior ministry's disaster prevention and mitigation department said: "My estimation of the missing is not less than 1 500 and most of them were foreign tourists who were mostly out in the sea when the wave struck."

The department says the number of people confirmed dead after Sunday's disaster is 1 538 with nearly 9 000 injured.

Officials said Tuesday that the majority of those confirmed dead are tourists.

Sunthorn said he expects the death toll would rise as rescuers dig deeper into wreckage on Wednesday in the worst hit areas, Phi Phi Island and Khao Lak town on the mainland in Phang Nga province.

He said about half of those who died on Phuket island were foreigners.

But in Phang Nga and the neighbouring province of Krabi, which includes Phi Phi, most of the victims were foreigners, Sunthorn said by phone from Phuket.

- SAPA