US sending disaster response team to Nepal: official

The United States is sending a disaster response team to earthquake-hit Nepal and has authorized an initial US$1 million (RM3.57 million) to address immediate needs, the US Agency for International Development said Saturday.

President Barack Obama was briefed on the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that officials said killed nearly 900 people in Nepal and several dozen more in neighboring Bangladesh, China and India, a White House official said.

Initially, the US is sending a disaster assistance response response team, USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance chief Jeremy Konyndyk said on Twitter.

Konyndyk said US$1 million has been authorized "to address immediate needs."