Germany to increase tsunami aid to 500 million euros
BERLIN, Jan. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The German government plans to radically increase its aid to tsunami-hit countries in south Asia to 500 million euros (666 million dollars), officials confirmed Tuesday.
The German government will make the decision at its cabinet meeting on Wednesday, an official speaking on condition of anonymity revealed.
So far the government had pledged to provide 20 million euros (27 million dollars) as immediate aid to the victims in the Dec.26 tsunami catastrophe.
On the list of donor countries, Japan took the lead with 500 million dollars, followed by the United States with 350 million dollars. Sweden, who suffered the heaviest casualties among non-Asian countries, pledged to donate 80 million dollars.
Meanwhile, German public donations for tsunami victims have reached some 70 million Euros (about 94.5 million US dollars), according to local reports Tuesday.
So far more than 1,000 German nationals are still missing whilethe number of confirmed dead remains at 60. Enditem
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