Security Message for U.S. Citizens
December 25, 2016
This Message is to alert U.S. citizens residing and traveling in the southern coastal regions of Araucania, Los Rios, Los Lagos, and Aysen that the Chilean National Emergency Agency, ONEMI, has issued a precautionary tsunami warning for these areas as a result of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake near Port Melinka. People in the impacted areas are being asked to evacuate to higher ground and to avoid the coastal areas. Aftershocks are expected according to local Chilean authorities.
Tsunamis can be highly destructive and citizens are advised to follow all evacuation procedures. All U.S. citizens are encouraged to closely monitor the news, including ONEMI’s website. Once you are in a safe place, please contact your loved ones to let them know that you are okay.
The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Chile enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
Regularly monitor the State Department’s website, where you can find current Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution. Read the Country Specific Information for Chile. For additional information, please refer to our “Traveler’s Checklist” page.
Contact the U.S. Embassy in Chile for up-to-date security information. The U.S. Embassy in Santiago is located at Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago and is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm by appointment only for routine services. If you are a U.S. citizen in need of urgent assistance, the emergency number for the U.S. Embassy is +56 22 330 3716.
You may also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free from within the United States and Canada, or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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