Bush and Clinton held talks behind closed doors with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province.

Security was tight as the two touched down in driving rain here from a tour of parts of Thailand that were also severely affected by the catastrophe.

They were later due to travel on to neighboring Aceh, which bore the brunt of the devastation.

They were to spend several hours inspecting the damage and visiting refugee camps in the provincial capital Banda Aceh and a mosque near the town, US officials said.

Dozens of armed air force, police and army personnel have been deployed for the visit, especially in Aceh -- the scene of a 29-year separatist insurgency.

Bush senior and Clinton have been appointed by President George W. Bush to lead private fundraising efforts in the wake of the tsunami, which left more than 230,000 people presumed dead in Indonesia, almost all of them in Aceh.

They were due to fly to Sri Lanka and the Maldives later Sunday for the last leg of the tour.