US government pledges to deliver fuel to evacuees

FEDERAL authorities began counting down to Hurricane Rita's arrival with last-minute promises to deliver fuel to hundreds of thousands of evacuees fleeing the shifting storm that covered half of the Gulf of Mexico.

US President George W Bush was to fly yesterday afternoon to his home state of Texas, where highways were jammed with people trying to escape Rita's expected landfall early today. The president was to review preparations and thank first responders who were among the hundreds of emergency personnel dispatched to expected disaster areas.

Later yesterday, Mr Bush was expected to monitor Rita's approach from the US Northern Command in Colorado.