COLOMBO, Jan. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Sri Lankan media speculates on the personal safety of the Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabakaran inthe aftermath of the Tsunami tidal wave attack on Dec. 26, 2004.

    Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation in its morning news bulletin here Saturday quoted high ranking military sources as saying that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels' leader had disappeared with the Tsunami disaster.

    The radio said that an expensive coffin had been brought to the LTTE held territory in north.

    However on its midday news bulletin the radio said the military was yet to confirm the story on the wherabouts of the feared Tamil Tiger rebels' leader.

    Sun FM, a privately owned radio station quoted the LTTE's political leader in the northern Jaffna peninsula, Ilamparithi as denying the state media speculation that the LTTE leader had perished due to Tsunami tidal waves.

    Ilamparithi said the reclusive Tiger leader on Dec. 27 visited areas assessing the damages caused by the Tsunami devastation.

    The same day he was quoted by the pro-LTTE website Tamilnet as appealing for international assistance to the LTTE held areas.

    Velupillai Prabakaran makes very rare public appearances and hewas last seen in public in November last year when the Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen visited the LTTE headquarters.

    Tsunami waves had caused much destruction to the LTTE's feared Sea Tiger brigade who are based in the northeast coast.

    Military sources in Colombo believe that other than its commander Soosai all other top rankers of the LTTE's sea wing had died.

    The Sri Lankan government rates the death toll in Mullaitivu where the LTTE leader is generally believed to be living as 3,000.

    However the pro-rebel Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TR0) says the figure is just over 1,200.

    The TRO said that over 16,000 people had died in the north and east due to the destruction caused by the Tsunami tidal wave attack at the end of last year. Enditem