Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga have conveyed sympathy to the United States following the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina which hit the states of Mississippi and Louisiana.

According to a press release issued Thursday by Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Kumaratunga who are presently in China on a state visit expressed her sadness at the extent of the death and destruction.

"Having experienced the fury of nature ourselves during the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004, the people of Sri Lanka and I fully comprehend the grief and the sense of loss experienced by the victims of the hurricane," said Kumaratunga.

Kumaratunga expressed profound sympathies and condolences on behalf of Sri Lanka to the families who have lost loved ones and expressed solidarity with the victims.

Katrina is one of the most severe hurricanes in US history, causing an estimated 25 billion US dollars in economic losses and affecting some 5 million people. An estimated hundreds of people have died in the catastrophe.

Source: Xinhua