British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in London Saturday that the long-term effects of the Asian tsunami would need attention from the international community for months, if not years.

Speaking of his horror at the "global catastrophe," Blair said the impact of the tsunami that struck last Sunday would be long lasting.

"At first it seemed a terrible disaster, a terrible tragedy. But I think as the days have gone on, people have recognized it asa global catastrophe," Blair said in an interview with Britain's Channel Four News.

"The consequences of this are not just short-term and immediate but long-term and will require a great deal of work by the international community for months, if not years, to come," Blair said when he is still on a family holiday in Egypt.

Blair also told the Channel Four that he has been in contact with US President George W. Bush over the disaster and Bush made it very clear that he wanted the United Nations to be in the lead in driving the global aid efforts.

Blair's comments came as donations from the British public to a disaster fund reached 60 million pounds (about 115.8 million US dollars), exceeding the government's 50 million pledge.

Source: Xinhua