Nicaragua death toll at 187

MANAGUA (Agencies) - Foreign help for victims of Nicaragua's killer tidal wave began arriving yesterday, bringing food, medicine and construction materials to the residents of the battered Pacific coast. The bodies of 50 children were washed ashore yesterday as the death toll from a huge tidal wave caused an earthquake neared 200.

The disaster left at least 187 people dead according to the Red Cross, 150 missing and 4,200 homeless. The United States said it was giving Nicaragua dollars 5m (pounds 2.5m) immediately to help the victims.