Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday sent a messages to Myanmar top leader Senior-General Than Shwe to offer condolences to the victims of Sunday's powerful earthquakes and tsunamis.

In the message to Than Shwe, chairman of the state peace and development council of Myanmar, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, President Hu also extends his sincere condolences over casualty and property damage caused by tsunamis.

Hu said he believed the Myanmar government and people can overcome the disaster and difficulties, and resume normal life in the disaster area soon.

The tsunamis triggered by a series of huge undersea earthquakes near the Indonesian island of Sumatra swept across the coastal countries of the Indian Ocean rim Sunday, destroying villages, flooding cities and killing over 24,000 people.

The Chinese government announced Sunday evening that it has launched an emergency aid mechanism and will deliver the emergency humanitarian aid to India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Thailand as soon as possible.

(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2004)