The United States is providing an initial sum of 250,000 dollars in aid to Myanmar, southern and central parts of which were devastated by cyclone Nargis over the weekend, the State Department said Monday.
"The embassy (in Yangon) did issue a disaster declaration authorizing an immediate release of 250,000 dollars in support for the Burmese government," State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey told reporters.
"We're looking at what other assistance we might be able to provide," the spokesman said, adding that a U.S. disaster assistance response team is "standing by and ready to go into Burma (Myanmar) to help try and assess needs there."
White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said earlier in the day that the U.S. Embassy in Myanmar has released some assistance funds.
"Money will go through the World Food Program and other aid entities. It doesn't necessarily go directly to the government. But we're in the process of assessing what more we can do," Stanzel said.
According to the latest reports, more than 15,000 people have been killed in two divisions of Yangon and Ayeyawaddy by the violent cyclone that swept five divisions and states of Myanmar last Friday and Saturday.
The U.S., accusing Yangon of poor human rights records, has imposed sanctions that include tighter restrictions on the export of dual-use goods and computers to Myanmar, visa bans and the freezing of assets of 11 of its leaders.