Several diplomatic missions in Malaysia have confirmed that none of their nationals were casualties of the tsunami that struck the north-west coast on Dec 26 .

They said this in response to a report on the website of widely-read travel guide Lonely Planet which said that more than 40 tourists had drowned near Penang as a result of the giant waves.

"Reports indicate that more than 40 people mainly tourists were drowned near the city of Penang", it claimed in the 'World-guide' section.

However the website did not specify the nationalities of those allegedly affected.

The website has advised caution for travellers heading for tsunami-hit countries like Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Malaysia.

When contacted, its Australian office was unable to comment, but said it would get the relevant person to respond soon.

To date, the disaster has claimed 68 lives - all Malaysian - and left 299 injured. The tsunami also damaged or destroyed a number of seafront properties, fishing villages and boats in Penang, Kedah, Perlis and Perak.

US Embassy press officer Frank Whitaker confirmed that there were no reports of death or injury to Americans in Malaysia, as a result of the tsunami.

"There are some (Americans) unaccounted for, but those are the ones who are on their travels and have not called home or their parents to check in," he said.

Vice-consular Ray Castillo said the "list of missing persons is actually a select list based on calls received from friends and family members of Americans in Malaysia".

"We have also managed to locate many Americans by calling places they were thought to be holidaying in," said Castillo, who has visited Penang and Langkawi to make a check.

Fluctuating numbers

The Canadian High Commission's political counsellor, Rachel Bedlington similarly said there were no casualties, although about 12 people remain unaccounted for - the number fluctuates daily.

"We have received calls from family members in Canada, some with specific information as to their friends or family members' exact location, and some without," she said.

Officials at the missions for Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Korea also gave the all-clear, but it was not possible to check on the safety of Swedes, Australians and Britons as the relevant officials were not available for comment today.

In Penang, which took the brunt of the tsunami, beach boys and water-sport operators have been credited for sounding the alert and saving the lives of many, including foreign tourists.

Lifeguards and staff of beachfront hotels were able to warn guests to leave the beach before the killer waves struck at about 1.30pm, following a massive seabed earthquake off the coast of Sumatra.

The catastrophe has taken some 155,000 lives and displaced millions in 11 countries in Asia and Africa to date.