SINGAPORE, Dec. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday night that the island state is ready torender relief and rescue efforts to those suffered in the earthquake and tidal waves.

    According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, the Singapore government is considering what kind of help it can offer.

    Calling the earthquake and tidal waves a major natural calamityin the region, Lee said that Singapore's sympathies go out to the victims and their families, as well as to the entire communities which have suffered in this disaster.

    Some parts of Singapore slightly sensed the powerful earthquake,which hit Indonesia's Aceh region early Sunday. The earthquake and tidal waves sparked in the Indian Ocean have caused a large number of casualties in several countries nearby.

    Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier that its overseas missions in tidal wave-hit Sri Lanka, India, Thailand andBangladesh are in touch with the local authorities. Enditem