KATHMANDU, Nepal — Nepal’s government will need immense international support as the Himalayan nation begins turning its attention toward reconstruction in the coming weeks, in the wake of the devastating April earthquake, a top official said Monday.

Nepal is one of the world’s poorest nations, and its economy, largely based on tourism, has been crippled by the earthquake, which left at least 7,200 people dead. While there are no clear estimates yet of how much it will cost to rebuild, it will certainly be enormously expensive.

“In two to three weeks a serious reconstruction package needs to be developed, where we’ll need enormous help from the international community,” said Information Minister Minendra Rijal. “There’s a huge, huge funding gap.”

He also said foreign rescue workers were welcome in Nepal, saying they could remain as long as they are needed. He had earlier said that the need for their services was diminishing, but later denied that he wanted them to leave the country.

Soon, he added, the nation will be shifting away from a rescue mode and “will be concentrating more on relief operations.”