An emergency military convoy of aid supplies has arrived in New Orleans to help in the relief of tens of thousands of refugees made desperate in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
A long train of 50 military vehicles loaded with crates made their way through flooded streets into the city centre this evening.
Armed troops are distributing food, clean water and basic medical care to local residents.
Four days since the hurricane struck, there has been mounting criticism of the Bush administration's response to what some are calling the nation's worst natural disaster.
In Washington, congressional black leaders said the black and poor populations of New Orleans were suffering disproportionately.
US President George W Bush earlier admitted that relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina had been inadequate.
Mr Bush was speaking at the White House, before he left to begin a tour of the devastated areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
He said that though a lot of people had been working hard, the results were not acceptable.
Mr Bush said he wanted to assure people that the government would deploy the assets necessary to help victims and to get the situation under control.
Fires blazing in New Orleans
Fires are continuing to blaze in the riverfront area of New Orleans, which was hit by a series of blasts this morning.
It is unclear what caused the blasts but a chemical factory is believed to be involved.
300 National Guard troops have been sent into the city amid reports of rapes and murders among the tens of thousands of refugees left in the city without food and water.
Earlier, the city's mayor, Ray Nagin, launched a blistering attack on the authorities responsible for co-ordinating the evacuation of the city and the delivery of emergency supplies to residents.
Mayor Nagin accused the Louisiana State and Federal authorities of failing to respond with urgency to the disaster, saying that people were dying as a result.
Bush secures $10.5 billion aid package
President Bush has secured $10.5 billion in emergency disaster relief for the victims of the hurricane. However, this must be approved by the House of Representatives.
More than 20 countries have offered aid to help the region. Australia has said it is making a contribution to the US Red Cross.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has offered to dip into his country's oil reserves to help the US deal with fuel disruptions.
Police warnings
Local police in New Orleans earlier issued warnings about lawlessness and street violence by groups of young men.
The Governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco, authorised troops arriving in the city to shoot-to-kill to restore law and order.
The authorities are continuing to try to evacuate thousands of residents from the city who have been living among corpses and human waste since the hurricane hit four days ago.
In one hospital, Turo Infirmary, staff say they have had to let the sickest patients die because of the lack of supplies and medicines.
