US President George W Bush visited New York this evening, to see first hand the devastation at the site of the World Trade Centre. Accompanied by New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and New York State Governor, George Pataki, Mr Bush visited the site, now called Ground Zero, and shook hands with firefighters.
Using a megaphone, Mr Bush spoke briefly to the assembled emergency services, saying "the nation sends its love" to a fist-pumping audience itself chanting "USA, USA". "Thank you for your hard work," he said. "Thanks for making the nation proud. May God bless America."
Prior to his New York visit, President Bush attended a special service in Washington. Among other dignitaries, the service was attended by former Presidents and some military personnel.
Rescue efforts at the World Trade Centre have been hampered by heavy thunderstorms. But there are hopes that survivors may yet be found in the floors which were situated below ground level.
New York's Mayor has said he continues to be hopeful that more survivors will be found amid the rubble. But speaking to reporters, Rudolph Giuliani warned against rumours that have been flying about rescues at the disaster scene, after widely circulated reports that several firefighters had been pulled alive from the buildings' ruins turned out to be false.
The Pentagon in Washington was also extensively damaged by another hijacked plane. A fourth hijacked jet crashed in Pennsylvania.
Several people have been pulled alive from the ruins of the World Trade Centre, but there is no hope of finding anyone alive in the damaged section of the Pentagon.
Rescue workers continued their painstaking work in downtown Manhattan last night. As they attempted to find survivors amongst the rubble of the twin towers, the weather worsened and heavy rain fell on the site.
"Obviously everyone is concerned about the impact of the weather on the rescue efforts. There is no question that they are hampered by it, everyone has to be more careful," Mr Giuliani said. But he added that there was still a strong hope that more people would be found alive.
Hundreds are confirmed dead and about 5,000 are missing following the attacks, which have been condemned world wide. Countries around the world, including Ireland, are holding their breath as they wait for news of missing citizens.
The US Senate has approved a $40bn emergency package for counter-terrorism and rescue efforts after Tuesday's attacks in America. Democrats and Republicans in the Senate agreed to circumvent debate and usual parliamentary procedures to rush the money to the White House. At least half of the package must be used for disaster recovery and other relief at the locations where four hijacked planes crashed.
Rudolph Giuliani yesterday warned that 4,763 people were missing, and ordered 30,000 body bags. Among the missing are 202 firefighters, 154 Port Authority workers, 57 police officers and 38 employees of a building management company.
The total also includes the 157 passengers and crew known to have been on board the planes which exploded in huge fireballs on the upper floors of the 110-storey twin towers, Giuliani said.
Mr Giuliani said 94 bodies have so far been pulled from the wreckage of the World Trade Centre. Only 46 of them have so far been identified.
The Pentagon said 126 people who worked in the US military headquarters remain missing. Searchers there have recovered the bodies of some 70 people from the wreckage.
