The official death toll from the tidal wave in Sri Lanka is now estimated to be 4590 at mid-day Monday, but missing persons are put at twice that

The official death toll from the tidal wave in Sri Lanka is now estimated to be 4,590 at mid-day Monday, but missing persons are put at twice that.

The official death toll from the tidal wave in Sri Lanka is now estimated to be 4,590 at mid-day Monday, but missing persons are put at twice that. At least 4000 have been hospitalized and bodies are still pouring into hospitals in Southern Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, authorities are trying to clear up bodies in the worst hit areas which have started to putrefy, increasing the risk of disease.

Residents of the densely populated southern Sri Lankan city of Galle, say the stench of rotting bodies is hanging in the air.

The first wave hit Sri Lanka's coast around 9 am local time on Sunday morning.

The US Geological survey reported a quake measured at 9.

0 on the Richter scale off Sumatra two minutes before 7 am Sri Lanka time (00.

58 Universal Time).

A second, larger wave hit the island after 11 am local time.

A quake measured at 7.3 on the Richter scale was reported off the Nicobar Islands at around 10.

20 local time (04.21 Universal Time).

Late morning Monday nervous coastal re