Relief operations were launched on a massive scale in the areas hit by tsunami tidal waves as the toll rose rapidly to 6,800 in India as scores of bodies were recovered in Tamil Nadu and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the PressTrust of India reported Monday.

Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu reported a toll of 3,200 with the worst-hit Nagapattinam accounting for 1,700 deaths, followed by Kanniyakumari at 525, Cuddalore 400 and Chennai city 200.

Pondicherry a union territory in the south of India, reported aloss of 377 lives, including 265 in Karaikal, an enclave surrounded by Tamil Nadu.

The scale of tragedy in the far-flung Andaman and Nicobar Islands, located on the east coast of India, also came to light Monday with 2,000 more deaths reported, taking the overall figure to over 3,000.

In Kerala state, located in south India, the toll was 138 and in southeastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh 73.

The state governments and the center launched Monday massive relief operations engaging defense forces and aircraft and ships to reach food, blankets, medicines and other material to people inthe affected areas.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced in Delhi a relief of 100,000 rupees (around 2200 US dollars) to the next of the kin of each of those killed in these regions from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.

Manmohan Singh will visit the tsunami-hit areas of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry and Kerala Tuesday.