Spain has increased its humanitarian relief aid for Indonesia, one of the worst-hit countries in the Dec. 26 tsunamis, to 7.8 million euros (or 10 million US dollars), military officials said Monday.

The latest amount is 1.3 million euros higher than that announced on Saturday by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Rodriguez, according to reports released by the military officials.

The operation, dubbed Solidary Response, began Monday with the departure of five planeloads of humanitarian relief materials and 594 troops, said Defense Minister Jose Bono.

The operation will last from six to eight weeks with the participation of 257 members of the Navy, 230 of the Army and 107 of the Air Force. The troops will bear light arms for self-defenseonly, said Bono.

Operation Solidary Response also includes the shipment of a hospital in the Navy vessel Galicia, four water-purification plants, 2,000 kg of medicine and 50 tons of food.

Over 150,000 people had been killed by the tidal waves that hitSouth and Southeast Asia on Dec. 26.