Down syndrome boy one of six Australians dead

MELBOURNE - A Melbourne family's worst fears were confirmed when two uncles discovered a teenager's body in a Thai hospital following Asia's deadly tsunami.

Paul Giardina, 16, who had Down syndrome, is one of six Australians confirmed dead after an earthquake and subsequent tidal waves battered Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.

The international death toll is nearing 24,000.

One of Paul's uncles, Vincent Parisi, said another of the boy's uncles identified his body late last night at a Phuket hospital.

"My brothers-in-law Peter and Angelo were over there looking after Mum and Dad - Ivana and Joe," he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

"They viewed some images on the computer and they came across Paul's photo there and identified Paul's body," he told ABC radio.

Mr Parisi described the situation as "terrible" and a "disaster" for the family.

Earlier, he criticised the Australian government, saying it'd had little contact with the family.

"The Australian government, I feel, has not done enough, not reacted quickly enough," Mr Parisi told Sky News.

"(It has) certainly not done enough to try to find my nephew over there and help possibly other Australians that are missing or need further help by the Australian government.

"We feel very much let down."

Paul's parents last saw their son in the water after waves flooded the restaurant where they were eating breakfast.

"The water just came over. (The restaurant) just filled up," Mrs Giardina told the ABC.

She said furniture was knocked around and she saw a car floating by.

"I couldn't get to my son because I had furniture, the tables and chairs, from outside had gone in between us.

"My husband Joe ... was calling me and they just went."

Mr Giardina said the water hit with enormous speed and he was pinned again a wall.

"I was under water. I tried to get out. I couldn't do it," he said.

"They say they found me on the fourth floor. I have no idea how I got up there."

Meanwhile, a 55-year-old Melbourne man feared missing in the disaster has been found alive.

Bill Strahmer's beachfront hotel was swamped with water, but his son Matt said his father was found working at a local hospital unaware of his family's fears.

Australia has opened two temporary consular offices in Phuket, Thailand, to assist Australians caught in the tsunami disaster.

Parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs Bruce Billson said aircraft had been chartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to help get Australians out of the devastated areas of that country.

He said the government was flying extra consular staff into affected areas.

"Two additional consular offices have been opened in Phuket - one at the town hall to greet people coming in from the outer islands, and at the Hilton Hotel as a temporary consulate there," Mr Billson told ABC radio.

"Our focus is on getting the expertise and the experience on the ground to make a real difference."

He said the airport at the Maldives capital of Male was operating.

In the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, commercial flights were operating.

"The Sri Lankan military and in fact our people on the ground there have chartered some aircraft to help get people into Colombo so they can connect with those flights," he said.

"Also, the airport in Phuket is functioning normally.

"So, for Australian citizens in those areas, there are commercial options available and we encourage people to use those at this time.

"We will continue to monitor the circumstances to see if further lift capacity is required."

Mr Billson said there were no plans for senior government people such as the prime minister to fly into affected areas.

- AAP