With over 71,000 confirmed dead, the Asian countries hit by the great earthquake and tsunamis Sunday are struggling in the relief work. They work the hardest to send goods including foods, medicines, clothing and other essential items to the survivors, while collecting the dead in tears especially in the hard hit areas Wednesday.

Indian government has intensified measures to supply medical relief to tsunami-hits areas in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Keralaand the union territories of Pondicherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Director General of Health Services S.P. Aggarwal Wednesday reviewed the situation and public health measures with experts including those from global agencies like World Health Organisation (WHO).

"As of today, emergency medical relief amounting to Rs.4 million has been supplied to the affected states. The health situation is being constantly reviewed by the health secretary anddirector general of health Services," an official statement said.

A three-member central health team with medical supplies, including typhoid vaccines, tablets and disposable intra-venous sets and chlorine tablets, has been sent to Pondicherry.

Emergency medical stores and medical teams consisting of physicians, surgeons and public health experts have reached Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

They have been deputed to the district hospital at Car Nicobar,which is working round the clock to treat the injured.

Another 12-member team from Kolkata too has reached Andaman andNicobar islands with medical stores.

In Indonesia, the government began focusing relief works on some areas in Aceh which could not be reached by rescue teams since tidal waves swept through the areas Sunday, an official saidhere Wednesday.

"Our attention is now shifted to the towns of Meulaboh and AcehJaya," said Nadyal Rusdal, who heads the humanitarian team for victims of natural disaster with the Ministry of Health.

"The towns have no food, have nothing. Our hospital there is still standing but there is no medical staff," he said.

It has been estimated that around 25,000 people in the two towns were killed in the Sunday's disaster but relief workers could not reach the areas as tidal waves have destroyed airport, seaports and roads and cut off electricity and communication lines.

Nadyal said the government needs at least 10,000 corpse bags due to limited stocks in the ministry.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued decrees on stepping up relief efforts for provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, that were seriously hit by earthquake and tsunami, a government official said.

"The decree stipulates to conduct evacuation intensively," Social Minister Bachtiar Chamzah said at the Center of Humanitarian Assistance for Victims of the Quake in an air force base in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province.

According to the minister, the evacuation will be conducted by mobilizing all transportation and hospital facilities, as well as supplying sufficient medicine.

Bachtiar said the government has attached great attention to handling refugees, including providing sufficient food, medicine and clothes.

The government would intensify searching and collecting victims' bodies, he said, adding the relief materials will soon be sent to the stricken areas through land, marine and air transportation.

"The president stressed to prioritize supply of food, drugs, fuel, tents, transportation and communication facilities," Bachtiar said.

In Sri Lanka, the National Relief Operations Unit (NROU) was established Wednesday to aid relief activities undertaken by government and non-governmental groups in the tsunami-stricken SriLanka.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga announced the establishment of the new relief body, which is to be chaired by the secretary to the president, said a press release issued by the president office.

Other group members will cover the secretary to the prime minister, senior officials from the ministries of Health, Rehabilitation, Foreign Affairs, Education, Power & Energy, Highways, Justice and Housing.

The NROU's head-quarter, based at the Presidential Secretariat,has started coordinating with the United Nation special task groups undertaking the disaster assessment here.