The victims were in Songkhla, Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Surat Thani provinces, that draw thousands of visitors each year due to their world-famous beaches.

There are still some people, including foreign visitors, missing, and the death toll is likely to rise, added the officials.

The strong earthquake in Indonesia's Sumatra Islands measuring at 8.7 Richter scale occurred at 8 a.m. Sunday morning. The aftershock have affected several neighboring Asian countries.

At least 40 tourists died in Phuket island as waves had reachedas high as eight or even 10 meters before crashing into its coast.

Phuket's famous beach town Patong was flooded with all shops, kiosks and hotels damaged by the tsunamis.

On Phang-Nga, another popular tourist site near Phuket, people even sought refuge from the floods on rooftops. The tourists said that they were relaxing on the beach when the tsunamis suddenly appeared.

The navy has been airlifting tourists who were stranded at hotels and bungalows near affected beaches to safer areas.

The aftershocks were also felt in the capital Bangkok. Peter Coulton, a 32-year-old Australian man who stayed at the Sofitel Hotel told Xinhua that the aftershock made the hotel building tremoring in the degree that everyone could feel.

"...Everything fall off the table, the doors swung back and forth, and all guests screamed and rushed out by the emergency exit."

A Took-Took driver said he was waiting for passengers outside the hotel when the aftershock occurred. He saw a lot of people runout of the hotel building.

Thai Prime Minister Shinawatra said the government has ordered evacuation of areas hit by the tsunamis. Rescue works are still continuing.