173,981 killed in tsunami: Indonesian health ministry

Indonesia raised on January 23 its estimated tsunami death toll by 7,661 to 173,981.

This was announced by the health ministry four weeks after a huge quake caused waves that smashed into Aceh province and drowned hundreds of thousands.

The figure is higher than the death tolls being published by the Social Affairs Ministry that put its estimate Sunday at 114,978, up from 110,229.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last week told government agencies to work together to come up with a single toll, but coordination has not been satisfactory yet.

Source: Xinhua