Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing Thursday sent a message of condolences to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to express his sympathy over human casualties and property damages caused by Hurricane Katrina.

In the message, Li extended sincere condolences to the families of those killed in the disaster.

Also on Thursday, the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) donated US$100,000 to the US on the same day to help with the reconstruction work in the disaster areas.

Katrina is one of the most severe hurricanes in US history, causing an estimated US$25 billion in economic losses and affecting some 5 million people. An estimated hundreds of people have died in the catastrophe. Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are the hardest hit.

(Xinhua News Agency September 2, 2005)