Embracing the Diaspora in the Wake of the New York and New Jersey Earthquakes

April 6 :
The Consulate General of India in New York has extended an invitation to the Indian diaspora in the area following the 4.8-magnitude earthquake that shook portions of New Jersey and New York.

The Consulate expressed its worries over the welfare of the Indian population in the impacted area in a post on X, the former Twitter. No Indian national or diaspora member has been reported harmed thus far, according to the Consulate, despite the substantial earthquakes felt across the area.

The mission further stressed the need of the official madad (help) portal as a means for citizens and diaspora members to seek assistance in the event that they were impacted by the tragedy.

During a news briefing regarding the government's reaction to the earthquake, New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated that this is one of the biggest earthquakes to hit the East Coast in the past hundred years. Hochul brought attention to the gravity of the situation by saying, "At this point, heading into an hour and a half after the effects, we have not identified any life-threatening situations, but we are certainly asking our local law enforcement and emergency services teams to be on guard for that as well."

As soon as word got out, Governor Hochul sent in rescue workers to survey the damage and make sure everyone was okay. Bridges and tunnels, among other infrastructure, should be assessed for possible weaknesses, she stressed. Hochul declared that JFK and Newark Airports are fully grounded in preparation for the aftershocks, but the MTA and Amtrak remain operational.

Hochul stood in solidarity with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, offered help, and exchanged critical information on the effect, all because New Jersey was the epicentre. She went on to say that the White House has requested help.

Governor Hochul stressed the significance of being ready by encouraging the people of New York to learn earthquake safety procedures, particularly the "drop, cover, and hold on" method for dealing with aftershocks. Staying away from buildings that could be under danger and checking houses thoroughly for damage were two of her main points.