Support to schools: Deputy Secretary for Education & Manpower YC Cheng (left) says crisis-management systems at eight schools have been activated and the bureau's educational psychologists have visited four of them to offer assistance. At right is Deputy Secretary for Security Michael Wong.

One German man and a French baby, both holding Hong Kong identity cards, are reported dead following the tsunamis in Thailand, Deputy Secretary for Security Michael Wong says, adding the Government is now verifying the information.

If the information is confirmed to be true, the number of Hong Kong residents known to be killed following the tsunamis will be brought to eight.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Mr Wong said the two people had died on Phi Phi Island.

Meanwhile, the support team has found the parents of the French baby in a Phuket hospital. Including the Filipino girl who is still in hospital, the total number of Hong Kong residents confirmed to be in hospital stands at three.

Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower YC Cheng said that by this afternoon, eight schools had reported to the bureau that one teacher and eight students may have been involved in the disaster.

All these schools have activated their crisis-management system where school social workers and guidance teachers have been deployed to offer counselling to their students, he said.

Mr Cheng said the Education & Manpower Bureau had also sent educational psychologists to four of the schools to offer assistance. But he said psychological problems encountered by the students were not regarded as serious.

He added the bureau would continue to monitor the situation and the number of confirmed reports may increase.

74 residents cannot be reached

At noon today, 74 Hong Kong residents still could not be reached. Of them, 42 were reported to be in Thailand, two in Malaysia, 11 in Indonesia and 19 in other places.

Mr Wong said there were no Hong Kong residents in Sri Lanka or the Maldives.

Meanwhile, 870 people were reportedly stranded in the affected areas. Since the information on those people is incomplete, the Government is now following up.

14 families provide DNA samples

Mr Wong said Police has started to take DNA samples, including oral swabs and hair samples. So far, samples have been collected from 14 families, including 10 in Hong Kong and four in Phuket.

He said other families concerned can go to the Central Police Station in Arsenal Street if they are willing and ready to provide samples.

The families can also call 2829 3010 with enquiries.

Police sent to Phang Nga

On the work of the support team in Phuket, Mr Wong said after receiving reports of Hong Kong residents found in Phang Nga, some police have been sent there today to find out details.

He said families of 20 affected citizens had agreed to disclose their relatives' information. The details have been uploaded onto the Immigration Department's Tsunami help info webpage.

The Government is liaising with other affected families on the issue, Mr Wong said, adding some of them needed more time to consider it while a small number had rejected the idea.

Mr Wong again urged employers to call the Immigration Department's hotline, 2829 3010, if they find their employers, who are supposed to resume work after the holidays, do not show up.