OREANDA-NEWS. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement today:

"I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the government and people of Nepal for the loss of life and devastation as a result of the massive earthquake. An IMF team stands ready to visit Nepal at short notice to help the government assess the macroeconomic situation and determine any financing needs. We are also coordinating closely with the World Bank, ADB, and other agencies to assess the impact of the natural disaster on the country and determine how best we can help.”