On October 26, 2015 at around 2:45 PM IST, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake – centered in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan – was felt in parts of Northern India. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake covered 120 miles and was centered approximately 51 miles southeast of Feyzabad in a remote area of Afghanistan in the Hindu Kush mountain range. In Jammu and Kashmir, cell phone and internet service are intermittent and news media are reporting some damage to infrastructure. Avoid large crowds, which can result in volatile situations with little notice. There are no known U.S. citizen casualties at this time. The Embassy will provide additional updates when possible.
The U.S. Department of State encourages U.S. citizens to use caution, closely monitor the media, and practice earthquake preparedness. The Indian government has established a Control Room in the Ministry of External Affairs from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (+91 11 2301 2113, +91 11 2301 4104, and +91 11 2301 7905) for those affected in India by the October 26 earthquake.
U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). U.S. citizens without internet access may enroll directly at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate at their destination. By enrolling, U.S. citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of emergency.
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for India.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. For non-emergency inquiries, U.S. citizens may send an email to the American Citizens Services Unit at acsnd@state.govacsnd@state.gov. For emergencies during and after business hours and on weekends and holidays, U.S. citizens can contact the Embassy Duty Officer at (+91-11) 2419-8000 and ask for American Citizen Services. The U.S. Embassy is located on Shantipath in the Chanakyapuri area of New Delhi. The Consular entrance is Gate 6 (also called “Visa Gate”) on Andre Malraux Marg, between Nyaya Marg and Shantipath.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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