Three days after the killer tsunamis struck, the situation in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands continues to be apalling.

Some 10,000 people, half the population of Car Nicobar, are still missing and contact yet to be established with some other islands.

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"Missing, however, does not mean that all of them are dead. We hope that many of them may come back. So far the body count is 309 from all over the islands," Lt Governor Ram Tapase told newsmen in Port Blair said.

Inspector General of Police, S B Deol put the number of dead and missing at 10,000.

He said, "The thrust now is on providing relief and evacuating people from the affected islands."

Altogether 1800 more would be evacuated today (Wednesday) from Hut Bay, which has a population of 10,000, Deputy Inspector General of Police, S V Rao said.

Contact is still to be established with a few islands like Pilomilo. Aerial surveys are being made to assess the situation there, he said.

Drinking water and food were air-dropped on Katcha, Chowra and the Nancowry islands.

Unified Command sources said 13 naval ships were on rescue and relief work in the Hut Bay, Kamorta, Campbell Bay, Katcha, Chowra and the Nancowry islands.

Commander-in-Chief, Unified Command, Andaman and Nicobar, Lt General B S Thakur visited Katcha and Nancowry islands to supervise operations, the sources said.