"This year, we are celebrating the New Year at a time when a tragic tidal wave swept beaches in India, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Somalia causing the deaths of more than 120,000 men, women and children," he said in a national address.

"I take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives," Kibaki added.

Sunday's quake-triggered waves are believed to killed at least 125,000 people, destroying the homes of hundreds of thousands, and threatening to kill many more through disease and hunger.

More than 1.1 billion dollars have been pledged to an unprecedented aid effort after last week's Asian tsunamis, the United Nations said Friday, as devastated countries raced to get food and water to millions facing starvation.

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