Disasters

Indonesia: Security Tightened in Bali, Sharia Law a Tourist Attraction in Sumatra, Floods in Jakarta

Date: November 29th, 2007 |

The UN Climate Change Conference will be held at Nusa Dua, Bali Dec. 3-14. Security in the area will be tight and hotel rooms nearby will be in short supply. Demonstrations are possible. An ongoing terrorist threat against Western interests exists in Indonesia, and places frequented by foreigners have been targeted in the past. In [read more]

Portugal: Signs in English to Appear on Algarve Beaches

Date: October 31st, 2007 |

No Comments

The tragic deaths of three of four parents who drowned saving their children from an unseen whirlpool in the Algarve have prompted officials to order signs in English posted on every dangerous beach in the region by next June. Signs warned of dangerous currents but all were in Portuguese, which the British visitors could not [read more]

New Zealand: Volcano Erupts onto Ski Slope

Date: September 26th, 2007 |

No Comments

Mount Ruapehu volcano erupted suddenly Sept. 25 spewing mudflows down a ski slope, causing the evacuation of two ski lodges, forcing the temporary closure of roads on the mountain, and injuring four people, one seriously when rocks crashed through a mountain shelter. Vulcanologists called the eruption minor but it came without warning. Scientists planned to [read more]

Mexico and Central America: Hurricane Felix and Henriette Hit on Same Day

Date: September 5th, 2007 |

No Comments

Atlantic and Pacific hurricanes made landfall on the same day for the first time since such data has been recorded. Current statistics date to 1949 and also show that this hurricane season has seen another first, two category 5 hurricanes (the strongest) occurring in the same season, with this week’s Hurricane Felix coming two weeks [read more]

Caribbean: Hurricane Dean Misses Major Tourist Sites

Date: August 22nd, 2007 |

No Comments

Category 5 Hurricane Dean churned through the Caribbean and Mexico Aug. 19-22 causing extensive property damage but generally sparing tourism facilities. Jamaica took a glancing blow, with the north coast resorts suffering little damage and airports fully functioning again. The Cayman Islands largely escaped with just wind damage. In Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Dean hit land [read more]

Vietnam: Floods Wreak Havoc in Central Vietnam

Date: November 15th, 2007 |

No Comments

Floods in central Vietnam killed at least 29 people and trapped some 3,000 tourists in the city of Hue, 2,500 of them foreign visitors. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An was inundated, with some 150 historic houses submerged. Rains let up and floodwaters began to recede, but more rain was forecast. Health officials [read more]

Ecuador: Tungurahua Volcano Showing Seismic Activity

Date: October 25th, 2007 |

No Comments

Tungurahua Volcano, about 85 miles south of Quito near Banos, has been showing increased seismic activity and limited emissions of gas and ash. Geologists are closely monitoring the volcano and the U.S. Embassy in Quito encourages visitors to verify that roads and tourist facilities are open before traveling to the area. Geologists do not consider [read more]

DR Congo: Rebels Take Over Virunga National Park, Threaten Mountain Gorillas

Date: September 5th, 2007 |

No Comments

Virunga National Park, home of the rare mountain gorillas in eastern Congo on the borders with Uganda and Rwanda, has been overrun by a rebel army fighting government forces. Some 10,000 refugees have fled to Uganda and park rangers have been forced to evacuate, leaving the gorillas unprotected. Fighting has occurred in the park and [read more]

Greece: Country Tries to Recover as Wildfires Come Under Control

Date: August 29th, 2007 |

No Comments

Six days of wildfires burned wide swaths of Greece’s forests, primarily in the Peloponnese region, with firefighters from some 20 countries finally getting the blazes under control Aug. 29. Continuing dry, hot weather, however, could rekindle the flames. The conservative government has been roundly criticized for its slow and ineffectual response to the disaster and [read more]

Peru: Travel to Ica Disrupted by Aug. 15 Earthquake

Date: August 22nd, 2007 |

No Comments

The devastating 8.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Peru’s southern coast Aug. 15 destroyed some 34,400 homes, killed more than 500 people and left 100,000 homeless. Travel in the region of Ica and the cities of Pisco, Ica, Canete, Nazca and Chincha should be deferred until debris has been cleared away and infrastructure repaired. Other areas [read more]