World Travel News: May 2006

Six people are now known to have died following flooding in Morocco, which has also disrupted tourist activity in the country. Heavy rain has caused flash flooding in the Er Richidia region, with the waters beginning to rise dangerously on May 26th. more

Students in Chile have clashed with police during protests in the capital Santiago. The protesters took to the streets on May 30th, calling for education reforms. Although the protests began with singing and dancing, police turned on the, largely secondary school age, crowd with tear gas and water cannons. more

Relief efforts are continuing in Indonesia following Saturday's earthquake. On 27th May an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale occurred near the ancient city of Yogyakarta, causing substantial damage and loss of life, as well as severely disrupting tourism in the region. more

Concerns are growing for the safety of residents and travellers in the Indian Ocean, despite the fact that one of the world's most active volcanoes is now not expected to erupt. Lava has been welling up inside the crater of Mount Karthala on the Comoros Islands in the Indian Ocean and, while a major eruption now looks unlikely, the lava still poses a serious risk to those on the island. more

It has been reported that a quiet peace has broken out across the Somali capital of Mogadishu following two days of heavy fighting. Islamic militiamen took hold of a number of key points across the city on Thursday and since then there has been a lull in the battle. more

Troops from around the globe are arriving in East Timor in an effort to tackle the growing violence in the region. Australia has deployed 1,300 soldiers in the region in an effort to quell the recent upsurge in violence, as former soldiers and police continue to clash. more

Thailand authorities are beginning to work on areas damaged by recent flash floods. Torrential rain over a number of days in the northern parts of the country have resulted in severe flooding and it is believed that up to 100 people have been killed by the waters. more

One of Turkey's most important and largest airports has been struck by fire, causing chaos to flights into and out of the country. Istanbul's Ataturk International airport has been severely damaged by the blaze, which took hold in the building's cargo area. more

Northern Thailand has been hit by flash floods, causing hundreds to evacuate their homes. Officials in the country say they believe more than 100 people have died as a result of the floods, which were brought about by three days of heavy rain, causing rivers to burst their banks and creating mudslides. more

A number of flights to and from the Caribbean were cancelled following a volcanic eruption in Montserrat. The National Institute of Civil Aviation in Venezuela told the Reuters news agency that some flights were cancelled following Saturday's eruption including Venezuelan airlines Aeropostal, Aserca and Santa Barbara flights. more

The US is preparing for yet another difficult hurricane season following the latest predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The organisation has warned the country that there are likely to be between 13 and 16 named storms during the season, which begins on June 1st and runs until the end of November. more

Protestors near the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka have clashed with police as violence in the region flares. Textile workers at a local factory began staging a protest on Monday but the scenes quickly turned violent as they clashed with police. more

Sao Paulo has seen continued violence over the weekend as police and gangs carry out a continued gun battle. It is thought that over 170 people have been killed in the last week alone as prison riots escalated into violence across the city against the police. more

Heavy rains have caused floods to hit the Lagodelkhi and Qvareli regions of Georgia, devastating agricultural lands and washing away villages. According to tentative information, around 80 per cent of these districts' villages suffered serious losses after the water level of the Kabala River rose, causing severe flood damage. more

As many as 100 people have been killed in Afghanistan as violence has erupted in the country. In some of the fiercest fighting seen in the country since the US-led invasion five years ago, Taleban fighters appear to have launched a major offensive against police and troops across the country. more

People travelling to New England in the US have been warned to protect themselves against the danger of mosquito-borne diseases. The region has been hit by severe flooding over the past week but as the water levels begin to subside, there is now a growing concern over the potential for mosquito-borne diseases to take hold. more

Increasing numbers of people are opting for short adventure breaks as opposed to traditional weekends away in Paris or Rome. Explore is one such company that caters to this growing breed of holidaymaker, and has seen demand for its holidays grow significantly since the firm launched in 2001. more

Football fans are gathering in Paris for one of the biggest events in the sports calendar. Tonight, the Stade de France will play host to the Champions League final as the top two teams in Europe battle it out for the ultimate prize in club football. more

Violence has flared once again in Nepal, as protestors demonstrate against King Gyanendra. Four government vehicles were burnt by protestors as they demonstrated against the delays which are now taking place in attempts to reduce the king's influence. more

New England in the US has suffered the worst floods for 70 years, with a number of major cities swamped by deluges of rain. With the heaviest rainfall in a decade, the towns and cities of New England have seen flood waters rise rapidly and thousands of residents have been forced to leave their homes in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire. more

A landmine has blown up 12 people in India, police in the country have revealed. While details remain sketchy and it is not known how many people were injured in the blast, it is understood that the 12 were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in rode over the landmine. more

Typhoon Chanchu is heading towards southern China having battered central and north-western Philippines, it has been reported. At least 37 people have been killed by the tropical storms, mostly after a boat capsized off Masbate, which is south of the main island, Luzon. more

Over 50 people, including police officers, have been killed following a wave of violence by heavily armed gangsters in Brazil's Sao Paulo. A criminal gang is thought to be behind more than 100 attacks on police stations, patrol cars and bars popular with off-duty officers, with machine guns, machetes and home-made bombs. more

The Indonesian government has ordered the evacuation of around 17,000 people living near Mount Merapi. Jusuf Kalla has called for the evacuation of "at least 50 per cent" of the total population living within the danger zone of the volcano, which has been threatening to erupt for a number of weeks. more

Severe storms have hit Bangladesh, killing three people and injuring a number of others. According to United News of Bangladesh, the country has suffered heavy storms in recent days, with around 12 villages in the Sirajganj district taking the brunt of the bad weather. more

Bomb blasts at a Pakistani police training academy has resulted in the deaths of at least six policemen, it has been reported. Up to five explosions caused a significant amount of damage to the academy, with nine other policemen wounded in the attack, in the city of Quetta. more

Texas has been struck by a series of devastating tornadoes. A number of small towns in the American state have been hit by the twisters, with reports that at least three people have been killed while another ten have been injured. more

Officials have declared a state of emergency in Florida after bush fires broke out across tens of thousands of acres of land, destroying houses and forcing residents from their homes. Reports say that parts of Interstate 95 in Volusia have had to be closed due to heavy smoke which has reduced visibility, resulting in a backlog of traffic along parts of the county's other main roads. more

Russia's far east has been hit by a massive 6.2-magnitude earthquake, according to reports from RIA Novosti. Emergency services told the news agency that the quake rocked the northern part of the Kamchatka peninsula early Wednesday morning. more

Somalia has been hit by violent clashes between rival militias, making the country extremely dangerous for travellers. The Somali capital of Mogadishu has seen fighting between the militias rage over the past few days and 25 people have so far been killed, with another 61 injured. more

A gun battle between rival groups has caused injury to nine Palestinians. Tensions in the region have been running high since the political wing of terrorist organisation Hamas won the January elections, making the area a dangerous place for travellers to visit at present. more

China has announced that it expects its impressive Three Gorges dam will be completed by the end of the month. Reports from the country's state media have suggested that the project will be finished by May 20th, a full nine months ahead of schedule, and will become operational as an energy provider by 2009. more

The Nepalese government has been offered help from the United Nations (UN) in keeping the peace following recent violence in the country. Rioting flared up across the country last month as the public protested over King Gyanendra's failure to reinstate Nepal's government, after he sacked the previous government claiming it had failed to deal effectively with Maoist rebels. more

Rebels in Sudan's troubled Darfur region have agreed a peace deal with the Sudanese government. The government has already committed itself to the agreement and now the largest rebel group in the region has also agreed to the concord. more

Residents from the capital of East Timor have been fleeing the city in their thousands as fears over fresh violence have been sparked. One UN official told the BBC that as many as 75 per cent of Dili's population of 120,000 had left the city amid chaotic scenes and rumours of clashes between police and former soldiers. more

The Pacific island of Tonga was hit by an earthquake yesterday. The 8.0 quake hit at 0426 local time, around 1526 GMT, according to the US Geological Survey, which claimed that it was centred around 100 miles north-east of the country's capital, Nuku'alofa. more

Government troops have moved in to the Indian city of Baroda following riots. Violence has befallen the city since Monday following the demolition of a Muslim mausoleum, which authorities claim was necessary under a ruling against illegal structures. more

New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin has launched new plans to deal with the aftermath of a major disaster. The city suffered extensive damage last year when Hurricane Katrina damaged levies, allowing water to flood the low-lying suburbs. more

Indian-controlled Kashmir has come to a standstill after a general strike was called in reaction to the killings of 35 Hindus in the region. Suspected Islamic militants shot the victims in the course of two incidents in the Jammu region, which is populated by a majority of Hindus. more

An explosion at a security compound in northern Gaza has killed two people and has injured several others, according to reports. The blast, which occurred on Tuesday, destroyed a building at the complex. more