Australian Governor-General Michael Jeffery Wednesday expressed his people's sympathy to millions of those who fell victims to Sunday's Indian Ocean tsunami.
"On behalf of all Australians, I extend to the millions of people of the Indian Ocean region affected by the recent tsunamis our deepest sympathy on the loss of life and property," he said in a statement.
"It is a catastrophe of epic proportions necessitating a global response," he said.
"The spread of death, grief and devastation across so many nations and nationalities compounds the enormity of the disaster," he added.
He said he is contacting Australia's ambassadors and high commissioners of the countries affected "to extend our sincere condolences on behalf of the nation, and to assure them and their heads of state that the Australian government will do all it can to participate in appropriate relief and assistance measures."