US sending disaster response team, $1M aid to Nepal

World Today

People walk past rubble in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was severely damaged by an earthquake on April 25, 2015. (Photo by Prakash Mathema/AFP)

The United States is sending a disaster response team and $1 million in aid to Nepal following a devastating earthquake that shook three countries.

The White House and Secretary of State John Kerry are offering condolences along with pledging the support.

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake outside the capital Kathmandu killed more than 1,000 people in Nepal, India and Bangladesh. It also toppled buildings and triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest.

The secretary of state said in a statement that the U.S. stands with the people of Nepal and sends heartfelt sympathies.

He also said USAID is preparing to deploy the disaster assistance response team and is activating an urban search and rescue team.

National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said the U.S. stands ready to provide further assistance in the region.

This story was compiled with information from the Associated Press.