Spain prepared two planes with humanitarian aid for Katrina victims

Spain prepared Wednesday to ship 16 metric tons of humanitarian aid, including 6,000 rations of food, tents and blankets to the United States to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The items were loaded onto two cargo planes at a Madrid airport that will leave for the United States later in the day. The planes are expected to land in Arkansas, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

On Monday, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos received a detailed U.S aid request for aid, including oil, canned food and medical equipment. U.S ambassador Eduardo Aguirre highlighted the need for logistics specialists, generators, medical equipment, pumps and oil.

Katrina hit the Gulf Coast last week, displacing hundreds of thousands residents. Officials have said they expect the number of dead to be in the thousands, reports the AP.