Saturday, January 8 2005 16:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The official toll in the December 26 tsunami disaster has crossed the 10,000 mark and more than 5,500 people are still missing even as the areas along the southern coast continue to feel aftershocks.

According to the status report released by the Union Home Ministry, the toll has reached 10,012. Tamil Nadu has the highest toll with 7,941 deaths reported followed by Andaman and Nicobar Islands at 1,205, which also has the highest number of missing of 5,531.

Pondicherry had the casualty figure of 590 with another 82 missing, Andhra Pradesh 105 with another 11 missing and Kerala had 171 reported deaths, the report said.

Centre has also convened an all party meeting tomorrow to discuss relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in tsunami-affected areas and assistance provided to the neighbouring countries in the region including Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Maldives.

Giving details of the Indian casualties overseas, it said as per reports from Indian Missions, seven Indian nationals had died with another 12-15 still missing in Sri Lanka, one person was killed in Maldives, three in Thailand and two in Indonesia.

About the overseas relief operations, it said that under operation "Rainbow" for Sri Lanka, 231 sorties had been undertaken and 181 persons evacuated, under operation "Castor" for Maldives, 44 sorties were undertaken with 15 people being taken to safe places from outlying islands.

Under operation "Ghambir" for Indonesia, the Navy has provided relief material besides running a medical camp. The efforts of the Navy were also substantiated by the Indian Coast Guard ships and Dornier aircraft, the report said.

It said that as many as 27 ships, 16 helicopters and five fixed wing aircraft of the Indian Navy were engaged in relief operations in Sri Lanka and Maldives besides deployment of 4,500 personnel.

Referring to the domestic relief operations, the report said that the Ministry of Rural Development had released the Central share of allocation of funds under the Indira Awaas Yojna for the year of 2004-05 to Andhra Pradesh (Rs 85.43 crore), Tamil Nadu (Rs 48.41 crore), Kerala (Rs 27.29 crore), Pondicherry (Rs 1.08 crore) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Rs 3.53 crore).