WASHINGTON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The United States said on Friday it will give $100,000 to buy blankets, shelter materials, water and other items for victims of floods in North Korea that have killed hundreds of people and made more than 300,000 homeless.

The money will be distributed equally to U.S. aid groups Mercy Corps and Samaritan's Purse and "is intended to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in North Korea," U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.

U.S. relations with North Korea are deeply strained by Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear weapons. The United States is engaged in multilateral talks to try to persuade the impoverished communist state to abandon its nuclear programs.

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