The earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale hit at about 0800 locat time. (0100 GMT). Its epicentre was off the western Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Soon after a wall of water up to 10 metres high hit Aceh and North Sumatra.

Aceh, being the closest to the epicentre is believed to be the worst hit.

The death toll in Indonesia skyrocketed from just hundreds on Sunday, (26 December) to over 4,000 by Monday (27 December) afternoon.

The southern coast of India was hit by tsunami waves, with Madras the hardest hit. Other states affected were Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Pondicherry.

Families are still waiting for the hundreds of fishermen who have gone missing and scores of bodies are reportedly washed up on the beaches.

The United Nation has issued a warning that unless health services manage to cope with unprecedented disaster, an epidemic will likely set in soon.

As at 0900 GMT Monday (27 December) India has started burying or cremating their dead with thousands others still unaccounted for.

The long stretch of the eastern coastline of Sri Lanka has been devastated by crashing waves.

Waves as high as 6 metres have reportedly pounded the shores of Muttur and Trincomalee.

The death toll is fast climbing with close to 5,000 confirmed dead by Monday (27 December) afternoon.

More than a million others have been rendered homeless.

Badly affected by the tsunami waves was the western coast of southern Thailand.

Phuket and the Phi Phi islands were devastated and the mainland resorts of Karbi and Phang Nga were also hit.

Some tourists have managed to get out of Thailand and flown into Singapore which has fairly unaffected by the tidal waves except for some tremor felt on Sunday (26 December) morning.

The northern island of Penang was hardest hit with eyewitness recounting seeing whole families being swept away by the waves.

Families are forced out of their homes and many fear more tsunami waves.

The mainland states of Kedah and Perak were also afffected.