The Nordic region is in a state of shock and mourning as the enormity of the tsunami catastrophe hits home. Almost 5,000 Scandinavian tourists are still missing, and the death toll is feared to reach several thousand.
Although the official numbers of those killed have remained largely static over the weekend, the number of missing has increased while the hopes of finding survivors have declined.
Officially 52 Swedes, 21 Norwegians, 15 Finns and seven Danes have been declared dead, almost all in Thai beach resorts.
However, 2,915 Swedes, 462 Norwegians, 247 Danes and 186 Finns are still missing. Norwegian officials also said another 980 people who were unaccounted for were thought to have been travelling in south-east Asia. Among other European countries, Britain has reported 40 dead, Germany 60 dead and 1,000 missing and Italy 18 dead and 660 missing, according to Reuters.
This is expected to be the worst disaster Sweden has suffered in modern times. The country has not been at war for almost 200 years. In proportion to its population of nine million, it could be one of the world's worst-hit countries in terms of the number of dead.
Mr Goran Persson, the prime minister, said the country must prepare itself for "a long period of great distress".
About 20,000 Swedes were staying in the area when the tsunamis hit, and yesterday aircraft continued to arrive at Stockholm's Arlanda airport carrying survivors. Many had remained in the disaster zone searching for relatives and friends.
Sweden and Norway have sent refrigerated containers to the region to preserve the corpses and allay fears that they would be burnt before identification.
In recent years, Thailand has become a popular destination among Nordic tourists keen for a break from the dark winter months. The weaker dollar, strong domestic economies and the development of Nordic resorts in Thailand have increased its popularity this year.
Although the deaths will be spread across the Nordic region, the highest numbers are expected to be concentrated in middle-class districts where residents could afford high-season prices.
The tragedy has been made more intense by the large number of children expected to be among the dead.
The disaster has also had political repercussions. In Denmark it is likely to delay a general election that Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Liberal prime minister, was expected to call for the end of January.
Mr Rasmussen said matters apart from the disaster seemed irrelevant at the moment.