Quake-hit Nepal imposes two-month ban on new buildings

Nepal Monday imposed a two-month moratorium on the start of new building projects and limited current construction to two storeys after recent deadly earthquakes destroyed nearly half a million homes, reports Agence France-Presse.

According to the article, officials said the move would give authorities time to review building standards in the wake of a 7.8-magnitude quake on April 25. "We need to revisit our building norms and standards and this pause will give us that time," said Purna Chandra Bhattarai, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development.