WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), are providing an additional $3 million dollars in initial assistance to help meet the most urgent needs of the Burmese people in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis. The White House announced this additional funding at a press briefing today. This brings the total USAID assistance to $3.25 million to date, which will be allocated by the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) that is currently pre-positioned in Bangkok awaiting permission to enter Burma.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), the most urgent needs of populations in affected areas include plastic sheeting, water purification tablets, cooking sets, mosquito nets, emergency health kits, food, and possibly fuel supplies.

Citizens who wish to assist the people of Burma are encouraged to make a cash donation to a reputable humanitarian organization working in the disaster region.

For more information about USAID's emergency humanitarian assistance to Burma, please visit: http://www.usaid.gov, keyword: Nargis or directly at www.usaid.gov/locations/asia/countries/burma/cyclone_nargis.

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