Volunteers carry bodies of tsunami victims for mass burial in Banda Aceh, capital city of Indonesia's Aceh Province, Dec. 28, 2004. The death toll caused by tidal waves triggered by an earthquake off Indonesia on Dec. 26 and slamming into coasts of several South and Southeast Asian countries reached 24,000 on Dec. 27. The death toll in Indonesia exceeded 5,000. (Xinhua Photo/Enwaer)

    JAKARTA, Dec. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- The death toll from Sunday's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia has topped 36,268,according to a health ministry spokesman here Wednesday.

    The spokesman said more than 15,000 of the deaths were reported from Aceh Jaya, the most seriously hit coastline area on the northwestern tip of Sumatra island.

    Earlier, Indonesia's Vice President Yusuf Kalla said that the death toll was estimated to be as high as 40,000 people.

    The Indonesian government began focusing relief works on some areas in Aceh which could not be reached by rescue teams since tidal waves swept through the areas Sunday, an official said Wednesday.

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