US President George W. Bush said on Wednesday that he's committed to helping the countries that were affected by the disaster "in the difficult weeks and months that lie ahead."

Making his first public statement since a massive undersea earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck in southeast Asia on Sunday, Bush told mass media at his Texas ranch that the American people are "saddened by the terrible loss of life" in the earthquake and tsunamis that have claimed lives of more than 80,000 people in southeast Asia.

Bush said he spoke earlier in the day with leaders of India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia, expressing his condolences and those of the United States.

"The United States will continue to stand with the affected governments as they care for the victims. We will stand with them as they start to rebuild their communities. We will prevail over this destruction," Bush said.

Bush also rejected the criticism by UN humanitarian aid chief Jan Egeland, who suggested that rich countries were being too "stingy" with their aid.

"I felt like the person who made that statement was very misguided and ill informed," Bush said.

"There will be an assessment of the damage so that the next tranche of the relief will be spent wisely. ... Our government is fully prepared to continue to provide assistance and help," Bush added.

The United Nations has offered US$35 million in aid to nations devastated by a massive earthquake and tsunami.

The international Red Cross said Wednesday that the death toll from this week's earthquake and tsunamis in the Indian Ocean couldrise to more than 100,000.

"We're facing a disaster of unprecedented proportion in nature,'' said Simon Missiri, Asia Pacific chief at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

(Xinhua News Agency December 30, 2004)