Germany is to increase its relief aid to the tsunami-ravaged countries of South Asia to 500 million euros (US$664 million), German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Wednesday.

The German government has agreed to boost its donations to the victims of the Dec.26 catastrophe in the next three to five years, substantially up from its previous pledge of 20 million euros (US$27 million), Schroeder said at a press conference after a special cabinet meeting.

The figure makes Germany the largest donor country ahead of Japan and the United States which have pledged US$500 million and US$350 million respectively.

Schroeder also praised the German public for their contributions which had totaled about 150 million euros (US$202 million) by Wednesday.

Some 60 Germans are confirmed dead and more than 1,000 remain missing in tsunami-hit region where about 150,000 people are so far known to have been killed by the earthquake and tidal waves.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2005)