US President George W. Bush announced on Friday that the United States is pledging 350 million dollars to help tsunami victims in Asia, a tenfold increase over its first wave of aid.

The vacationing US president said in Crawford, Texas, that he is sending Secretary of State Colin Powell to areas ravaged by earthquake and tsunami to assess what more the United States needsto do.

The newly announced aid came after some critics claimed that the initial US contribution of 35 million dollars was too meager considering the vast wealth of the nation.