TERRA.WIRE
Hundreds of Europeans dead or missing after Asian tidal waves
PARIS (AFP) Dec 27, 2004
Hundreds of European tourists on Christmas sun breaks in southern Asian beach resorts were listed dead or missing Monday after tidal waves struck across the region and left at least 23,675 dead in all.

Sixty-five Europeans were confirmed dead, and the largest group of Europeans still unaccounted for appeared to be from Sweden, where tour operators said they were still awaiting news of some 600 tourists in Thailand.

Herewith a country-by-country breakdown:


Austria:

Four Austrians holidaying in southern Thailand died, the country's consul in Bangkok told APA news agency, adding that 31 injured Austrians were in a hospital in Phuket and 20 more were missing.

At least 1,500 Austrians were in the flood-hit region in Asia that included India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, according to Austrian travel agencies.


Belgium:

Two Belgian tourists, one of them a baby, died at Phuket and another 30 were missing, the foreign ministry said. It said it was worried about several hundred other Belgians out of around 1,000 holidaying in Thailand.

The ministry had no news from Belgians in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.


Britain:

Thirteen Britons died, the Foreign Office said Monday, 10 in Thailand, one in Sri Lanka and two in the Maldives.

Up to 10,000 British tourists were believed to be in the vast southern area of Asia affected.


Denmark:

At least three Danes died, Danish travel agencies said. Five were missing and 11 had been hospitalized in Phuket.


Finland:

One Finnish woman was confirmed dead by the foreign ministry, but eyewitness reports of Finns being swept away by waves could mean the death toll will rise.

Some 2,000 Finnish holidaymakers are believed to be in areas affected by the giant waves, with 1,500 of them in Thailand.


France:

Six French tourists were killed and 16 others were missing, officials said. One of the dead was a small girl swept out to sea in Sri Lanka and the other an employee of the Club Med travel group in Thailand.

French tour operators were still trying to account for dozens of clients in the region. Some 5,000 French were thought to be holidaying there.


Germany:

Four German holidaymakers were missing and presumed dead in Sri Lanka, German TUI travel agency said.

There would likely also be deaths among German tourists in southern Thailand, it added. At least 4,000 Germans were believed to be holidaying in the region.


Hungary:

Two Hungarians were injured, one seriously, on the Thai island of Phuket, the foreign ministry said. Several hundred Hungarians were vacationing in southeast Asia, mostly in Thailand and the Maldive Islands.


Italy:

At lead 13 Italians died, Foreign Minister Giafranco Fini said, including 11 Italian in Thailand, and two in Sri Lanka. About one hundred were missing.

Dozens of Italians have been hospitalized, the foreign ministry said.

Some 5,000 Italians were holidaying in the region, tour operators said.


Netherlands:

Thirteen Dutch nationals holidaying on the Thai islands of Phuket and Ko Phi Phi were missing, the Netherlands Automobile Association said.


Norway:

Thirteen Norwegians died, according to the foreign ministry, and 20 to 40 believed injured. Some 2,000 to 3,000 Norwegians were believed to be holidaying in Thailand over Christmas.


Poland:

Four Poles were missing and one had probably been killed in Thailand, the foreign ministry said, adding that up to 2,000 Poles were in the region hit by the quake.


Portugal:

Five Portuguese were missing, the foreign ministry said, including a baby was swept out of her mother's arms by floodwaters.


Romania:

Two Romanian tourists vacationing on Phuket were missing, the Romanian travel agency association said.


Russia:

Four Russians holidaying in Thailand were missing, Russia's Association of Tour Operators (RATA) said.

Eight hundred Russians were on Phuket at the time of the tragedy. Another 250 were in Sri Lanka where tsunamis devastated much of the coastline, RATA said.


Spain:

Several Spaniards were hospitalised on Phuket, but there were no reports of Spanish nationals killed, officials said.


Sweden:

About 10 Swedes were killed in southern Thailand, said Prime Minister Goeran Persson, warning that the toll could rise.

As many as 600 Swedish holidaymakers in Thailand were still unaccounted for, according to tour operators.

As many as 20,000 Swedish tourists were believed to be vactioning in the Phuket region.


Switzerland:

Sixty Swiss nationals vacationing in south Asia were injured, said Swiss insurer Elvia. Some 2,500 Swiss were believed to be holidaying in the region.


Turkey:

Thirty Turkish nationals were missing, a foreign ministry official said, including 21 in Thailand, three in Sri Lanka, two in Myanmar and one each in India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Maldives.


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