The UN agency helping feed tsunami victims said today it was sending its first ship to deliver food to ravaged west coast areas in Indonesia’s Aceh province - a sign that civilian groups are preparing to fill the gap as foreign troops begin pulling out.

THE global death toll from the Asian tsunami shot above 226,000 yesterday after Indonesia’s Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of tens of thousands of people previously listed as missing.

INDONESIA increased its tsunami death toll by 5,000 yesterday, raising the overall number of people who died in the December 26 disaster to more than 162,000.

Reduced to fighting over wild bananas and coconuts after a tsunami ravaged their homes, survivors jostled for supplies as the first ship carrying aid docked near the remote West Aceh town of Calang today.