Washington DC, Sept. 4 -- A group of US lawmakers on Friday (local time) urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to step up American relief and search-and-rescue efforts in flood-hit Nepal, including by deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), providing additional humanitarian assistance and planning significant reconstruction support as the death toll from the disaster continues to mount.

In a letter addressed to Rubio, the lawmakers urged the US State Department to use "every available resource" to support ongoing search-and-rescue operations and ensure the safety and recovery of American citizens and others affected by the catastrophic floods.

"We write to urge the State Department to use every available resource to supp...