French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier is to leave Paris for Sri Lanka and Thailand on board a plane carrying humanitarian aid and some 100 doctors and rescuers for victims by the tsunamis hit the countries, French Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.

The foreign minister "is to leave on late Monday on board a plane carrying humanitarian aid and medical team, as well as members of the Foreign Ministry to reinforce our staff in the two countries," said French Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Cecile Pozzo di Borgo at a news conference.

Three French nationals were killed in the tidal wave stricken Asian areas, while some 5,000 French tourists are still there.

Tsunamis triggered by a series of huge undersea earthquakes near the Indonesian island of Sumatra swept across the coastal countries of the Indian Ocean rim Sunday, destroying villages, flooding cities and killing over 22,000 people.

Sri Lanka was the worst hit country, where over 6,500 were killed in the huge tsunami.

The Sri Lankan government has declared a state of emergency andappealed for international help after the disaster.