"We'll be there as long as it takes," Martin told reporters, reiterating Canada's commitment to participating in the ongoing international relief and reconstruction efforts for the Asian countries ravaged by the Dec. 26 tsunamis.

The prime minister said that Canada would increase its aid offer to South Asia from the earlier announced 66 million US dollars to 348.5 million over a five-year period.

Monday's new aid offer includes a 217-million-dollar package, adebt moratorium announced earlier, funds for a Canadian relief team at work in Sri Lanka and matching funds for private donations.

Martin announced that Canadian citizens had donated a total of 123 million US dollars for Asian tsunami victims, adding that his government would soon match the amount dollar for dollar.

Officials here said that six Canadian citizens were killed and 37 listed as missing in the tsunamis that had killed over 150,000 lives in South and Southeast Asia.