Washington  - The United States will make emergency relief funds available to Italy as the death toll rose from an early morning earthquake in central Italy, a US official said Monday.

The amount of 50,000 dollars would be processed through the US embassy in Rome to help after the quake killed more than 150 people in the ancient town of L'Aquila and surrounding mountainous areas about 100 kilometres north-east of Rome.

Robert Wood, deputy spokesperson for the US State Department, said that the government of Italy had declined any further assistance in the way of search and rescue.

"We send our heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed in the earthquake," Wood said.