UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The United Nations announced Monday that it will send in more aid to the victims of the devastating tsunami that struck south Asia.

    Yvette Stevens, director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said Monday in a press release that the world body would launch a flash appeal in the coming daysto fund aid to the affected regions, where media reports put the latest death toll at over 20,000.

    In Sri Lanka, one of the worst hit nations, the UN agency opened up its relief stockpiles to deliver immediate emergency assistance to the Indian Ocean island, where thousands were killed,injured or displaced by the catastrophe.

    The top relief official added that the situation was particularly challenging given that widespread disaster has occurred in several countries.

    The UN was "used to dealing with disasters in one country," shesaid in the press release. "But I think something like this spreadacross many countries and islands is unprecedented. We have not had this before."

    The UN agency has deployed UN Disaster Assessment Coordination (UNDAC) teams to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, according to the press release. The teams will be working closely with national governments and relief workers in coordinating support from all over the world. Enditem