Bush pledges long-term aid for Asia

The United States is focusing on providing clean water and basic sanitation in South Asian areas hit by an earthquake and tsunamis, to try to prevent illness and more deaths among survivors.

“Our efforts are focused, with the rest of the international community, on water and sanitation, because that is the greatest risk to people’s lives,” said Andrew Natsios, chief of the US Agency for International Development, which distributes foreign aid.