Aid pledges for victims of the Asian tsunami disaster topped more than $500m (£261m) yesterday as the official death toll passed 120,000.

Aid groups reported receiving donations on an unprecedented scale, with large sums pledged over the internet. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies created a website to handle the volume of donations for its €53m (£38m) initial appeal. The Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella for UK charities, said it received more than £22m yesterday from over 500,000 people.