Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said 7000 people are still missing in the Andaman and Nicobar islands and some parts of south India following Sunday's killer tsunami.

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While official figures have put the toll in India at 6974, unofficial figures says over 10,000 people may have died.

The defence minister was speaking to reporters at Lalbagh in West Bengal.

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Mukherjee said the Union government has sanctioned Rs 500 crore for relief and rehabilitation measures in the affected areas.

He said the government has already sent 1000 metric tonnes of provisions to the Andaman and Nicobar islands, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.