US diplomat Nisha Biswal visits Nepal to take stock of rescue operation

WASHINGTON: US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal is travelling to Nepal this week to get firsthand knowledge of the devastation caused by the earthquake and take stock of the American relief and rescue operations.

Biswal will meet with Nepalese leaders, US Ambassador to Nepal Peter Bodde, members of the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team and other US and international officials to discuss ongoing response and relief operations.

During her visit from May 13 to 15, she will also review the long-term recovery effort, an official statement said.

A new 7.3-magnitude earthquake and several powerful aftershocks struck Nepal yesterday killing at least 65 people and triggering panic in the Himalayan nation already devastated by a monster temblor two weeks ago that had claimed over 8,000 lives.