Oceania

New Zealand: Christchurch’s Recovery to Take a While

Date: March 2nd, 2011 |

Recovery efforts are still underway throughout the Christchurch region as rubble and debris are still being cleared away. The public has been advised to stay away from all Christchurch beaches because of water contamination as a result of the deadly earthquake that struck on Feb. 22. Water supplies will be intermittent in the coming weeks [read more]

Australia: Cyclone Joins Floods to Scare Off Tourists to Queensland

Date: February 9th, 2011 |

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Another natural disaster struck Queensland Feb. 2 as Cyclone Yasi hit south of Cairns at the beginning of the biggest tourist season of the year for some far-north Queensland operators. The tourism industry is worried that when Chinese New Year celebrations end, bookings to the area will suffer as would-be visitors avoid the area after [read more]

Australia: Floods Inundate Brisbane

Date: January 12th, 2011 |

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The historic floods that have inundated Queensland reached Brisbane, Australia’s third-largest city, Jan. 12, swamping as many as 20,000 homes, forcing evacuations from the city’s low-lying suburbs and emptying downtown office towers. Peak flood levels were expected to remain until at least Jan. 14, and once the rains cease and the waters recede the city [read more]

Micronesia: Increasing Crime against Foreigners

Date: December 15th, 2010 |

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The U.S. Embassy in Kolonia reported that it has been receiving an increased number of reports of crimes against foreigners. In the past, most incidents occurred to women traveling alone on roads, but now women in pairs are becoming targets. The Embassy also urged residents and visitors to be extra cautious during the holidays because [read more]

New Zealand: Officials Ask Tourists to Return to Christchurch

Date: September 15th, 2010 |

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Tourism officials in Christchurch urged tourists not to cancel plans to visit the city that was hit by a major earthquake Sept. 4, saying that most of the prime tourist attractions in the area suffered little damage and 98 percent of all tour operators are back up and running. The area still has a lot [read more]

New Zealand: Christchurch Struck Again by Powerful Quake

Date: February 23rd, 2011 |

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A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch on February 22, leaving at least 75 dead. Prime Minister John Key declared a national state of emergency, allowing the government to take charge of a growing rescue and recovery effort. The death toll was expected to rise with more than 300 people still listed as missing, and the [read more]

Australia: Dingo Attacks Tourist on Fraser Island

Date: January 26th, 2011 |

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Queensland’s Fraser island, the world’s largest sand island and a World Heritage Site listed alongside Australia’s Uluru, Kakadu National Park and Great Barrier Reef, is a popular place for camping and for seeing dingoes in their natural habitat. But often tourists and dingoes don’t mix well. In a recent incident, five dingoes surrounded a tourist [read more]

Australia: Floods, Snakes, Crocodiles, and Not-So-Smart Tourists

Date: January 5th, 2011 |

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An unusually wet summer in Queensland has caused Australia’s worst flooding in decades, inundating 22 cities and covering an area as large as France and Germany combined, according to officials. Many parts of the coastal city of Rockhampton remained under water with floodwaters still on the rise Jan. 4. In addition to the danger of [read more]

Australia: Hiking Solo in the Outback Requires Planning, Preparation

Date: November 3rd, 2010 |

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The death of a German tourist who apparently got lost on a solo hike in the Northern Territory’s Kakadu National Park serves as a reminder always to carry ample water to remain hydrated when hiking in intense heat. He was walking the popular seven-mile Barrk Sandstone Walk without water when he evidently became disoriented and [read more]

New Zealand: State of Emergency in Christchurch for Earthquake Clean-up

Date: September 8th, 2010 |

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A state of emergency is in effect through Sept. 15 in Christchurch as the city recovers from a devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Sept. 4 and destroyed hundreds of buildings but caused no deaths. A 5.1-magnitude aftershock rattled the city Sept. 8 and earthquake experts warned that another strong temblor could shake the city in [read more]

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