Archive for the 'earthquake' Category
Roundup: Caspian Airlines crash in Iran; 7.8 earthquake off coast of New Zealand; most pet-friendly airlines
July 15, 2009 9:43am
> Here is a photo gallery from the Caspian Airlines jet that crashed in Iran today. It is believed that all 168 people on board Caspian Flight 7908, from Tehran to the Armenian capital of Yerevan, are dead.
“Caspian, a 16-year-old commercial airline, operates within Iran and to Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and Armenia, using Russian-made Tupolev jets that many Iranians fear are prone to malfunction,” reported Borzou Daragahi of the Los Angeles Times.
Earthquake and swine flu: Double pummel for already distressed Mexico tourism
April 27, 2009 3:22pm
The longtime drug wars have significantly dented Mexico’s tourism industry, and spring break in hot spots such as Cabo and Mazatlan suffered. But in the first quarter of 2009, less crime was reported in Baja California, traveler feedback had been largely positive, and, well, it seemed like there was hope yet for south-of-the-border vacationing.
Now this — well, this and that.
First, swine flu has left at least 149 dead and close to 2,000 hospitalized in Mexico. See earlier post “Swine flu: 7 things travelers should know” for some essential info. If you were planning to visit Mexico soon, you’ve likely nipped that idea in the bud or are at least reconsidering the trip.
And now, the region has had another shake-up. This morning’s 5.6-magnitude quake in the state of Guerrero was centered near Chilpancingo, which is about 50 miles from Acapulco. In the resort town, tourists “streamed out of hotels” and “congregated on sidewalks and medians for several minutes,” according to the Los Angeles Times report. Read the rest of this entry »
L’Aquila earthquake: loss of life and cultural treasures in ‘city of 99 churches’; somber air on Easter
April 13, 2009 10:15am
Easter Masses were celebrated in “makeshift” chapels throughout central Italy yesterday. A somber mood predominated on the holy day among survivors of the recent earthquake in L’Aquila. Read this Associated Press article.
In his Easter Sunday message in St. Peter’s Square, in which he spoke of the need for hope around the world during these troubled times, Pope Benedict XVI offered special words and prayers for courage for the quake survivors.
Besides devastating families and communities due to loss of lives and homes, the quake — which claimed 294 lives — demolished cultural treasures. A European Advisory Committee member of nonprofit World Monuments Fund, Duccio Marignoli wrote the following on behalf of the organization: Read the rest of this entry »
Roundup: Medieval buildings, Roman baths damaged in L’Aquila earthquake; Virgin America $49 airfare sale; Travel twittersphere, BlackBerry apps
April 7, 2009 8:12am
Good morning travelers. The death toll is up to at least 207 from Monday’s L’Aquila earthquake in Italy. Many old churches and buildings dating back to medieval times fell during the 6.3 quake. Read: Italy quake shatters historic buildings along with lives.
Reuters reports that the Roman baths of Caracalla dating back to AD 216 also suffered damage.
Cruise Critic says that the Seabourn, Azamara, Costa and Oceania cruise lines calling on Rome’s port Civitavecchia have not reported any changes to their itineraries due to the earthquake.
Here are more links for a L’Aquila earthquake relief fund and emergency hotlines.
Resources and emergency hotline for Italy earthquake info
April 6, 2009 1:37pm
In the wake of the devastating earthquake in central Italy early today, people worldwide are eager to hear from loved ones living in or visiting the country. The quake in province L’Aquila, about 75 miles northeast of Rome, has left at least 150 dead and 1,500 injured.
If you have any family members or friends who are in Italy right now, we hope you have heard that they are safe and sound. If you are still attempting to make contact, travel-assistance company On Call International has set up an emergency hotline that may help: Call (800) 576-5172, a line set up in response to this earthquake.
Alternatively, you can call On Call International collect at (603) 328-1924. When phoning, be sure to have as many details on hand as possible, including traveler itineraries, cellphone numbers and hotel and tour info. Read the rest of this entry »
U.S. organization starts relief fund for Italian quake victims
April 6, 2009 12:05pm
The death toll in the powerful earthquake that rocked central Italy early today is listed right now at 150 but that figure is expected to rise as officials continue to check flattened buildings for about 1,500 missing people. (Click here for photos.)
The affected area sits in a hilly region of the Apennine Mountains about 75 miles northeast of Rome. The earthquake may have had a magnitude as high as 6.3 on the Richter scale, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The nonprofit National Italian American Foundation based in Washington, D.C., today announced a special Abruzzo/NIAF Relief Fund “to help victims and their families who perished from the recent earthquake in the town of L’Aquila and other small towns in central Italy in the region of Abruzzo.”
Anyone who wants to donate to the special relief fund can make online tax-deductible donations at www.niaf.org/relief.
– Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times staff writer
[Photo: Amedeo Troiani / Getty Images]
Roundup: Local airspace at risk?; deadly avalanches; S.F. may take (greater) toll; Yellowstone earthquakes
December 30, 2008 8:10am
Good morning. On this penultimate day of 2008, here’s what we have for you in travel news:
Air safety | Sen. Dianne Feinstein has warned of shortfalls in aviation safety in SoCal. In a letter to President-elect Barack Obama’s Transportation secretary nominee, Feinstein referred specifically to shortages in the number of air traffic controllers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control in San Diego. Read “Feinstein urges FAA to hire more controllers at LAX.” Read the rest of this entry »
The 12 books of Christmas: ‘Encyclopedia of Earth’
December 15, 2008 5:41pm
Did you know most valleys are either V-shaped or U-shaped? That most tress cannot grow if the temperature doesn’t average at least 50 degrees in summer? That the harmattan wind, a dry, dusty Saharan wind, is so devoid of moisture that it can warp wood?
This is part of the delight of “The Encyclopedia of Earth: A Complete Visual Guide” (University of California Press, $39.95).
Roundup: Great Southern California ShakeOut at 10 a.m.; Delta expands service to Japan and the world; top travel tech gadgets
November 13, 2008 8:19am
Good morning, travelers!
SoCal | Are you all aware of the Great Southern California ShakeOut? At 10 a.m., there will be a “duck, cover and hold on” drill for two minutes. Four thousand people in 12 counties in Southern and Central California will rehearse their emergency responses to a 7.8 earthquake. The program is called the Golden Guardian. Find out more about it in the article “Earthquake Drill Thursday Aims to Make State More Prepared” and learn how to participate at ShakeOut.org. Here are some earthquake preparation tips to go along with the ShakeOut.
Tibet earthquakes kill at least 30; Potala Palace undamaged; Qinghai-Tibet railway and Lhasa airport in service
October 6, 2008 1:18pm
Hundreds of houses collapsed and at least 30 people have died after two earthquakes jolted Tibet on Monday. The first quake measured 6.6 with an epicenter 50 miles west of Lhasa, Tibet’s capital. The second quake hit 60 miles west of Lhasa and measured 5.1, according to the the U.S. Geological Survey.
These quakes were in addition to Sunday’s two temblors that shook the Xinjiang region, which borders Tibet, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan also suffered a 6.3-magnitude quake hours later that collapsed a village and killed 72 people.
According to the Biz China Update, there have been seven earthquakes measuring more than 7 on the Richter scale in the Xinjiang region since 1889.
