Pakistani Prime Minister ShaukatAziz Wednesday phoned his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh and offered condolences on the human losses and destruction in tsunami,official said.

In the 15-minute talk, Aziz renewed Pakistan's offer to aid theaffected families, the local news agency News Network International quoted an official in the Prime Minister's house as saying.

More than 70,000 people have reportedly died in the Sunday's sea surges which have caused devastation in much of Southeast Asiaand South Asia.

"We are shocked over the losses and large scale destruction," Aziz told Singh.

Manmohan Singh thanked Aziz for his phone call and said such contacts will help strengthen bilateral ties, the official said.

According to local reports, like other Asian countries, the scale of the tragedy in India is overwhelming and it will cost millions of dollars and take months, probably years, before life returns to normal.

On the Indian mainland, rescue workers are continuing to retrieve bodies in the south of the country.