Aid agencies seek donations for south Asia relief operation

Irish aid agencies are appealing for donations from the public to help the millions of people in need of assistance following Sunday's devastating tsunamis in the Indian Ocean.

The Government has allocated €2m to the aid effort across southern Asia, where up to 70,000 people have now been confirmed dead following the disaster.

The United Nations has said that the world's biggest relief effort is needed to help those whose lives and homes have been destroyed by the massive waves that slammed into more than 10 countries in the region.

Trócaire spokesman Mike Williams said the biggest immediate threat was disease and an outbreak of something like cholera could kill thousands of people in a matter of days.