THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                             (Oslo, Norway)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                   November 2, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

On behalf of all Americans, Hillary and I offer our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones to the devastating cyclone that struck eastern India Friday and Saturday. It is gradually becoming clear just how much destruction was wrought along the seacoast and inland in those terrifying hours. There are reports that thousands of lives were lost and hundreds of thousands of homes were destroyed. It is truly a national calamity.

Our hearts go out to the Indian people, and we are prepared to do what we can to help. The government of India has an immense task ahead in providing assistance to the people who were affected by this tragedy. The United States government is providing more than $2 million worth of food and $100,000 worth of tents and plastic sheeting to help alleviate the hunger and immediate suffering. I also encourage the American people to help through charities involved in international relief.

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