The death toll from Sunday's powerful earthquake and the following tsunamis has climbed to over 27,100 so far, an official from the Indonesian Ministry of Health said in Medan , Indonesia Wednesday.
As massive rescue work is still going on, more dead bodies would be discovered and there are at least 1,100 people listed missing, the official said.
The latest figure has greatly surpassed initial predictions.
Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Tuesday the death toll from the 8.7-magnitude earthquake and tidal waves that followed could reach 20,000 to 25,000 as thousands of residents in the affected areas were still missing.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono flied on Monday directly from the easternmost province of Papua to Sumatra island after visiting the victims of the most powerful earthquake in 40 years.
After inspection of the disaster-hit areas, President Susilo ordered the immediate restoration of telecommunication lines linking Aceh and other parts of the country, and stepping up the distribution of food, medicine, tents and other daily necessities.
The daily Jakarta Post reported Wednesday that aerial observation by the Air Force showed that houses and other buildings in most villages and towns in the western and eastern parts of Aceh province were leveled.
Up to Tuesday morning, some 4,700 people have been confirmed dead in Aceh, with some 3,000 of those killed were residents of Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh.