Swiss President Samuel Schmid on Tuesday declared Jan. 5 as a national day of mourning for the victims of the deadly tsunami in South and Southeast Asia.

On Wednesday, Switzerland will fly the national flag at half mast, and all the churches in the country will ring the bell to mourn victims.

Schmid also said that as time drags on, chances for missing tourists to survive are becoming remote.

On behalf of the Swiss government and himself, Schmid expressedhis condolences to all the victims and the tsunami-hit countries.

According to the Swiss News Agency on Jan. 3, 23 Swiss tourists were confirmed dead and 400 people remained missing.

Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, who is visiting thetsunami-hit Asian countries, said Tuesday that those missing in the tsunami are unlikely to come home alive.

On Dec. 26, an 8.7-magnitude underwater earthquake struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra and triggered tsunami which hit India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and four other Asian countries, killingover 140,000 people.