11 May 2015

NZ engineers head to Nepal to assess damage

5:22 pm on 11 May 2015

Four New Zealand engineers are on their way to Kathmandu to help assess the damage caused by last month's earthquake.

According to the UN,  600,000 houses have been destroyed or damaged.

According to the UN, 600,000 houses have been destroyed or damaged. Photo: Guillaume Payen / NurPhoto

Foreign Minister Murray McCully said the Nepalese government asked for help assessing major public infrastructure such as hospitals and government buildings.

Mr McCully said the engineers, who will remain in Nepal for a week, have considerable experience in earthquake strengthening.

He said they will also assess whether a larger group of up to a dozen engineers would be needed for a three-month deployment.

New Zealand has given $2 million in financial assistance to Nepal.

Aftershocks continue to jolt the country, with more than 150 recorded since the main shake.

The death toll has topped 8,000, and hundreds of people are still unaccounted for.

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