Travel updates for September 2, 2004 as issued by the Consular Affairs Section of Foreign Affairs Canada. Current Issues: An entry concerning Nepal (security) was amended. On September 1, 2004, violent protests occurred in Kathmandu following the execution of 12 Nepalese workers in Iraq. An indefinite curfew has been declared in Kathmandu and Lalitpur. The security forces have been given shoot-on-sight orders. Kathmandu airport has been temporarily closed. Qatar Airways has cancelled all flights for seven days and Gulf Air has suspended services to Tribhuvan International Airport until further notice. Canadians leaving Nepal by air should seek local advice from the police and the airline before travelling to the airport. Flights could still be disrupted for some time after the airport has reopened. The Canadian Cooperation Office in Kathmandu will be closed on September 1 and 2, 2004. Canadians in Nepal should respect the restrictions imposed by curfews, maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times, avoid large gatherings and demonstrations, carefully monitor events both in Nepal and throughout the region, and also register and maintain contact with the Canadian Cooperation Office in Kathmandu or Foreign Affairs Canada (call collect 613-996-8885). An entry concerning Hurricane Frances (natural disasters) has been amended. Hurricane Frances is active in the Atlantic Ocean. A state of emergency has been declared in Florida, where more than a million people have been told to evacuate their homes in advance of the storm. Severe flooding is expected in the Bahamas, and extensive damage is already reported in the Turks and Caicos Islands. For up-to-date information on Hurricane Frances, please visit the Web sites of the National Hurricane Center or the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Canadians resident in, or travelling to, the affected areas should monitor local news reports and weather reports, follow the advice of local authorities, and determine whether the situation will disrupt travel arrangements. We encourage Canadians who have disrupted their travel plans due to Hurricane Frances to maintain contact with relatives in Canada who may have concerns for their safety. An entry concerning Uzbekistan (security) was removed. An entry concerning the United States (natural disasters) was removed. The following Travel Report(s) were updated: Bahamas Greece Nepal Russia Russia - Chechnya Thailand Turks and Caicos Islands United States Uzbekistan Country Travel Reports may be updated after 3 p.m. (EDT), so if you want to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information, please visit our Travel Updates page
