NZ gives aid for Indonesian tsunami

New Zealand has given $450,000 in emergency aid to help the relief and reconstruction effort following the Mentawai tsunami, Foreign Minister Murry McCully said today.

"Reports out of Mentawai show that the situation is worse than initially thought," he said.

"The numbers of fatalities are rising and the latest official figures put the death toll at 311 and 400 missing."

Mr McCully said hundreds of people had been injured and more than 4000 families had left their homes.

He said that immediately after the tsunami struck New Zealand gave $40,000 to SurfAid International, a non-government organisation carrying out damage assessment.

"We have now increased our contribution to $450,000," he said.

"The Indonesian government has not called for further help from the international community but has welcomed assistance from agencies already working in Indonesia."

- NZPA