Disasters

Austria: Unusually High Amount of Snow Isolates Parts of Country

Date: January 11th, 2012 |

High winds and heavy snowfall left many parts of the country isolated Jan. 7. The unusual amount of snow closed a major railway route in the western part of the country near Innsbruck, cutting off some villages and major tourist resorts. In some areas, more than four feet of snow fell Jan. 5-7, leaving the [read more]

Chile: Forest Fires Burn up Season of Adventure Tourism

Date: January 11th, 2012 |

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The U.S. State Department issued another travel alert regarding the ongoing forest fires in Chile. This alert updates the Dec. 30 notice, and singles out the following high-concern areas: the 12th Region Magallanes, location of the Torres del Paine National Park, the 7th Region Maule and the 8th Region Bio Bio. January is Chile’s peak [read more]

Philippines: Damaged Infrastructure Prompts Travel Alert

Date: December 28th, 2011 |

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The U.S. State Department has issued a travel alert regarding the recent flash flooding that has occurred in the Philippines. Traveling through or residing in the southern portions of the Philippines, particularly Misamis Oriental and Lanao del Norte provinces, will prove difficult due to the immense amounts of damage sustained during the flooding. While floodwaters [read more]

Philippines: Deadly Flash Floods Kill Hundreds, Leave Region in Disrepair

Date: December 17th, 2011 |

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Flash floods in the southern Philippines killed at least 500 people and left thousands stranded. Washi, the tropical storm that set off the floods, hit the region Dec. 16. The storm was the 19th to hit the country this year, a stark reminder of the South Pacific’s unpredictable weather patterns during cyclone season, which runs [read more]

South Pacific: Travel Alert Regarding Cyclone Season

Date: December 10th, 2011 |

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The U.S. State Department has issued a travel alert for the South Pacific regarding the coming cyclone season, which runs from December through April. The region sees about nine tropical cyclones per year, half of which are category three or higher in intensity. Cyclones can cause major infrastructure damage and make traveling throughout the region [read more]

Brazil: Torrential Rain Kills Many, Leaves More Stranded

Date: January 11th, 2012 |

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Heavy rain killed at least 28 people and left thousands more stranded throughout Southeastern Brazil. The rain caused deadly mudslides, which in turn damaged infrastructure and continues to make the region dangerous. Brazil’s rainy season corresponds with its summer, which begins in December and frequently brings devastation to regions around waterways and on hillsides, making [read more]

New Zealand: Christchurch Still Rocked by Aftershocks

Date: December 28th, 2011 |

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A series of strong earthquakes hit Christchurch on Friday, Dec. 23, reminding residents of the Feb. 22 earthquake that left nearly 200 dead and the city in virtual ruins. Buildings rattled and items fell from shelves, but no tsunami warning was issued and no serious damage was reported. Christchurch International Airport and buildings in the [read more]

Japan: Fukushima Finally Stable

Date: December 17th, 2011 |

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Nearly ten months after the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan and caused the worst nuclear disaster in the world since Chernobyl, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced that the Fukushima plant has been stabilized. The government acknowledged that it will take decades to completely dismantle the plant, but this is good news for a [read more]

Japan: Radioactive Cesium found in Powdered Baby Mild

Date: December 10th, 2011 |

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Though it has been nine months since the initial disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, new concerns have arisen about radioactive fallout. Most recently, radioactive cesium was found in cans of powdered baby milk, adding to fears that some of Japan’s food sources have been tainted and contaminated with radioactive material from Fukushima. Though [read more]

Ecuador: Notorious Volcano Erupting

Date: November 30th, 2011 |

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The volcano Tungurahua spewed lava and rock Nov. 29, prompting the government to urge four villages to evacuate. Ecuador’s Geophysical Institute noted increased activity Nov. 27, and authorities inspected and prepared shelters should a mandatory evacuation order be issued. The alert level was raised from yellow to orange, one below the highest level of red, [read more]

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