How to Help and Stay Informed: Assistance Post-Earthquake in Nepal

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Earthquake in Nepal: How You Can Help. Credit: AFP / Prakash Mathema
Learn more about the U.S. response to the earthquake in Nepal and how you can help.
AFP / Prakash Mathema

Visit the Embassy of the United States (http://nepal.usembassy.gov), the U.S. Embassy Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/nepal.usembassy), the US Agency for International Development (http://www.usaid.gov) or the USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/USAID.OFDA) to learn about the April 25, 2015, earthquake in Nepal, the US Government response, and how you can help.

  • For assistance regarding U.S. citizens in Nepal, the Department of State has established a public email address (NepalEmergencyUSC@state.gov) for all inquiries concerning U.S. citizens affected by the earthquake. You may also contact 1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. & Canada) or +1-202-501-4444 from overseas.

    U.S. citizens in Nepal who need assistance can contact the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu at +977 423 4100. We encourage U.S. citizens in Nepal to notify the U.S. government of your presence in Nepal by entering your information at https://tfa.state.gov/ccd and by enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Programhttps://step.state.gov/step to receive updates.

  • For donations and to learn the best ways to help the relief efforts, please visit USAID (www.usaid.gov/nepal-earthquake) for a list of organizations provided by the Center for International Disaster Information (www.cidi.org/nepal).

    The best way to help those affected is to make a monetary donation to a reputable humanitarian organization working in the disaster zone. As a U.S. government agency, USAID does not accept donations for its crisis response efforts, but non-governmental organizations have issued appeals for donations.

    There are several ways to identify reputable, established organizations that make the most of monetary or material donations, including InterAction (www.interaction.org), a coalition of non-profit humanitarian organizations, and GlobalGiving (www.globalgiving.org), which lists disaster-recovery projects worldwide, including in Nepal.

    “Watchdog” organizations that offer information on responding organizations include The Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance (give.org), The American Institute of Philanthropy (www.charitywatch.org), GuideStar (www.guidestar.org), and Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org).

  • For groups responding on the ground who want to know how to connect and coordinate, visit the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) site (www.unocha.org). In addition, the United Nations maintains ReliefWeb (www.reliefweb.int), a repository of information listed by disaster, submitted by responding humanitarian organizations.

To find more information about USAID’s development assistance to Nepal, visit USAID’s Nepal Country Page (www.usaid.gov/nepal)