123,000 confirmed dead in Asia

The official death toll of the Asian tsunami is now at 123,000, according to media reports.

The increase from 92,000 just over an hour ago to 123,000 now is largely down to the latest toll in Indonesia, where the Indonesian government said 79,940 had died.

More than 27,200 are confirmed dead in Sri Lanka.

The Indonesian increase of 27,940 was due to new bodies being uncovered on Sumatra’s remote north-west coast, which was closest to the epicentre of Sunday’s quake, according to Health Ministry official Kardino, who uses only one name.

The counting was far from complete, officials said. Aid officials believe up to 80,000 may have died in that region.