More than HK$100 million has already been collected through donations by individuals and voluntary relief groups for the victims of Sunday's earthquake and tsunami and more is expected to flow into aid agencies over the next few days.

A local travel agency even joined in the rescue work by deploying tour guides to the worst-hit areas of Phuket in Thailand to assist in the hunt for missing Hong Kong residents.

On Friday, 20 political organisations - including the Democratic Party, the Frontier, the Article 45 Concern Group and the Liberal Party - kicked off a one-week ``Tsunami Relief Operation''.

Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing-tat, who was among those stranded in Phuket on Sunday, said every donation would help ease pain.

He called on the Hong Kong government to allocate a contingency fund of HK$100 million for non-governmental organisations that are doing relief work in the region.

He said he had asked the Legislative Council to launch an adjournment debate next Wednesday to discuss contingency measures.

``Our hearts are now united. We have set aside our political differences and will try our best to raise money for the needy in the region,'' Lee said.

Liberal Party chief James Tien added: ``This is a non-political event. We just want to show to the people of the world that we care.''

A dozen political leaders braved the chilly winds in Central on Friday morning as they observed one-minute's silence for the dead.

The politicians included Frontier convenor Emily Lau, Liberal Party's Selina Chow, unionist Lee Cheuk-yan, Albert Cheng and party leaders Lee and Tien.

Boxes placed in donation booths were quickly filled with HK$100 and HK$500 notes by passers-by.

About 40 booths will be set up across the city in what Lee called a ``cross-party, cross-level relief operation''.

He said he hopes the drive will raise about HK$20 million.

A growing number of businesses also opened their coffers in response to the worldwide call for aid.

Sun Hung Kai Properties and DBS Bank donated HK$1 million and HK$500,000 respectively to World Vision and the Hong Kong Red Cross.

The MTR Corporation said it will donate 50 cents from each passenger trip on the MTR tomorrow. It expects to raise about HK$1 million.

Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) said it will donate all the revenue of railway services obtained from 1.30am to 5.30am today.

Dragonair will fly a plane-load of relief supplies from the SAR government to Phuket today, waiving cargo fees.

The Lan Kwai Fong Association said 50 per cent of the proceeds from next Monday's business will be donated to the Hong Kong Red Cross and Unicef, with some 30 restaurants and bars taking part.

Wing On Travel, a local travel agency, said it will deploy 50 staff to Phuket to provide translation services for SAR citizens.

The first batch of helpers left on Friday night to join local tour guides already there in the search for missing Hong Kong residents.

The company said it will also deploy translators to other countries such as Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia should this be necessary.

The company also donated HK$1 million to the Red Cross.

The Jockey Club is to launch a two-day fund-raising campaign from today by placing donation collection boxes at 116 off-course betting branches and three clubhouses.

Donation boxes will also be placed at the two racecourses for today's New Year's Day meeting.

Donations can be made in cash or by crossed cheques made payable to ``The Hong Kong Jockey Club - for South Asia Relief.''

Meanwhile, the First Data Western Union Foundation, a charitable organisation under First Data Corporation, a United States-based money transfer service provider, donated US$1 million (HK$7.8 million) to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

dennis.chong@globalchina.com