US says 33 Americans died in Asian tsunami

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (AFP) - A total of 33 Americans are confirmed or presumed dead from the tsunami which struck Southeast Asia on December 26, the State Department announced Tuesday.
The 18 confirmed dead included 10 in Thailand and eight in Sri Lanka, while the 15 presumed dead comprised 14 in Thailand and one in Sri Lanka, said deputy spokesperson Adam Ereli.
Another 18 cases of missing US citizens remain under investigation, out of some 30,000 queries made regarding people feared missing after the catastrophe, he said.
The total number of people dead or presumed dead following the December earthquake and tsunami is now put at nearly 295,000, Indonesia announced Monday. Indonesia was the most severely affected by the disaster.

02/08/2005 19:29 GMT - AFP