Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi told government leaders in quake-stricken Southeast Asia on Monday that Italy was sending aid shipments to help with relief operations in the region.

"Italy is close to the suffering populations in this tragic moment," Berlusconi said in a message sent to government leaders of Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and the Maldives.

"I have given immediate orders that aid be sent from Italy to help rescue operations," he wrote in the message.