PARIS, Sept. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- French Foreign Ministry announced Thursday that France is to send aid and troops to US Gulf coast area hit by Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating storms in the country's history.

    "Our operational humanitarian aid group is going to meet to study the civilian and military means that France could make available from French regions and the French West Indies," said French Foreign Ministry's spokesman, Denis Simmoneau.

    "From our crisis unit, which is going to Baton Rouge from Lafayette, we are following the situation of the French people we know about," said the spokesman.

    French President Jacques Chirac sent a letter on Wednesday to his American counterpart George W. Bush, to express his "heart felt emotion" at the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, which is believed tohave killed at least hundreds of people and destroyed billions of dollars worth of property in the southwest United States. Enditem