May 1, 2015

According to the USGS, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake was reported at 1156 local time (0211 EDT) approximately 50 miles northwest of Kathmandu, Nepal.   The Department of State issued a Travel Warning, approved authorized departure for non-emergency U.S. government personnel and dependents, and is advising all U.S. citizens to defer nonessential travel to Nepal.  The U.S. Department of State also recommends that U.S. citizens in Nepal exercise caution when traveling in or planning departure from the country.  The possibility for aftershocks of significant magnitude persists.  Infrastructure is fragile and access to basic resources, including healthcare, could be limited.  Cell phone and internet service are intermittent. In Kathmandu and elsewhere, some buildings are collapsed and some roads are impassable.  Many roads are crowded with people and transportation is difficult.  Kathmandu’s airport and Lukla’s airport have been re-opened since the earthquake; however, they may close temporarily without notice due to aftershocks or inclement weather.  We encourage travelers to contact your airline to confirm flight availability before departing for the airport.  If you are in a safe location, the best option might be to shelter in place.

If you are in Nepal and are safe, please contact your family and friends to let them know your situation.  If you are trying to make contact with a friend or family member in Nepal, you may also want to check various social media sites that have been set up to connect people with their loved ones in Nepal.

We encourage U.S. citizens in Nepal to notify the U.S. government of your presence in Nepal by entering your information here and by enrolling in theSmart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive updates. U.S. citizens in Nepal who need assistance can contact the U.S. Embassy at +977 1 423 4100. 

Notify the Department about U.S. Citizens in Nepal:

You may inform the Department of State of U.S. citizens located in Nepal by visiting https://tfa.state.gov/ccd, selecting “2015 Nepal Earthquake,” and providing as much information as possible. 

To provide us with information about a U.S. citizen who is in Nepal, you can contact us at 1-888-407-4747(From the U.S. & Canada), +1-202-501-4444 (From Overseas), and NepalEmergencyUSC@state.gov‎.

If you are unable to provide information via the link above and need to send an email to NepalEmergencyUSC@state.gov to inform us of the U.S. citizen’s presence in Nepal, please be sure you provide us with as much of the following information as possible.  We are requesting this information so that we can monitor the welfare and whereabouts of U.S. citizens currently in Nepal. 

About the U.S. citizen (s):

·         Full name
·         Date of birth
·         Place of birth
·         Last known location (please be as specific as possible)
·         Number of accompanying family members who are not U.S. citizens
·         Any available contact information
·         Any other information you think would be helpful in locating the U.S. citizen – i.e. tour or expedition information
·         About you (if you are writing about yourself, please just indicate “self”):
·         Your full name
·         Your contact information
·         Your relationship to the person about whom you are writing (e.g., spouse, parent, child, friend, employer, etc.)

While U.S. citizens remain in Nepal, we recommend that they enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program – STEP.  STEP enables enrollees to receive any updates to Nepal messaging that the Department of State might send.

If you have essential travel to Nepal, please review the Centers for Disease Control’s information on health concerns in Nepal.

The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu is located in the Maharajgunj neighborhood of Kathmandu.  U.S. citizens in Nepal who need assistance can contact the U.S. Embassy by e-mail at ConsKTM@state.gov or by phone at +977 1 423 4100.  U.S. citizens in Nepal and their family and friends elsewhere should stay up to date on consular information by periodically checking Travel Information and Messages for U.S. citizens in Nepal.

If you are inquiring about immigrant visas for non-U.S. citizen family members in Nepal, please contact asknvc@state.gov