The United States has received aid offers from dozens of countries and international organizations since the deadly Hurricane Katrina swept through southern part the country earlier this week, the State Department said on Thursday.

"We have received general offers of assistance, as well as some more specific offers of assistance, from a number of different countries and organizations, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told a news briefing.

The countries that have offered US assistance include Russia, Japan, Canada, France, Honduras, Germany, Venezuela, Jamaica, Australia, Britain, Holland, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, China, South Korea, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates.

The Organization of American States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have also offered the assistance to the United States, McCormack said.

In addition, McCormack said, messages of sympathy and condolence from abroad have been coming in.

"It's been very heartening and very gratifying to receive these messages coming in as people around the globe see the tragic situation and the suffering of the people of the areas affected by this hurricane and the aftermath," he said.

The spokesman declined to confirm the report that the Russian offer of a helicopter with special rescue techniques was refused.

"I haven't seen that report... But let me make it very clear. Secretary (Condoleezza) Rice has said, in consultation with the White House, that no offers of assistance will be refused. No offer that can help alleviate the suffering of the people of the affected area will be refused," McCormack said.

An overwhelming crisis continues to unfold in the US Gulf Coast region as hundreds, even thousands were feared dead and tens of thousands of houses were destroyed under the wrath of Hurricane Katrina, local officials said.

Source: Xinhua