President George W. Bush toured tornado-ravaged Greensburg, Kansas, today to demonstrate the federal commitment to quick disaster response after the public- relations storm that Hurricane Katrina unleashed on his administration in 2005.

The president, accompanied by Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, viewed the damage by helicopter before driving through the center of town. He stopped at a farm equipment dealership where he saw tractors and harvesters and other tools damaged by wind and flying debris and walked streets strewn with debris.

``There's a lot of destruction,'' Bush said as he stood on the front lawn of a home that was destroyed by the twister May 4. ``Our role as government officials is to work with the state and local folks to get whatever help is appropriate here.''

The U.S. government response to the near-destruction of the Great Plains town was a small-scale test of the administration's ability to deploy emergency resources since Washington's bungled response to Katrina.

Bush is getting praise from some state officials for the federal response to the tornado, in contrast to the criticisms he received from local officials in Katrina's aftermath.

``The banner behind the president in Kansas today should say, `Lesson Learned,''' said Charles Franklin, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin, in Madison, who analyzes public perceptions of the presidency.

State and local officials lauded the response by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is providing temporary housing, food and water for those affected in the town of about 1,500 and the surrounding area.

`Long Effort'

``The speed has been great so far,'' Sebelius said. ``We are in good shape, but this is a long effort.''

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger said the damage in Greensburg could run in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The local power plant was insured for $11.3 million dollars, and losses at the Deere & Co. dealership that Bush toured may reach $10 million, she said.

Winds of 200 miles per hour (320 kilometers per hour) leveled homes, uprooted century-old trees and piled cars atop of cars in Greensburg. Every building on Main Street was destroyed and at least 11 people are known dead.