Travel updates for September 22, 2004 as issued by the Consular Affairs Section of Foreign Affairs Canada. Current Issues: An entry concerning Dominican Republic (natural disaster) was added. Hurricane Jeanne hit the Dominican Republic on September 19, 2004, resulting in heavy rains, severe flooding, and mudslides. The hurricane has caused a number of casualties and considerable damage to infrastructure (houses, telephones, power networks, and roads) in eastern and north-eastern parts of the country, including the province of Puerto Plata. Water services are still interrupted in many communities in the provinces of Altagracia, El Seybo, Hato Mayor, Samaná, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Espaillat, and San Pedro. Travellers should check with their travel agent or tour operator to determine whether the hurricane has affected their travel arrangements, and plan accordingly. Canadians should avoid disaster areas, follow the advice of local authorities, and contact the Canadian Embassy in Santo Domingo or the Consulate of Canada in Puerto Plata should they require assistance. The Upcoming Elections category was updated. The following Travel Report(s) were updated: Dominican Republic Iraq Slovakia 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. - 30 - For more information, please contact : voyage@dfait-maeci.gc.ca Foreign Affairs Canada 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2 Tel.: 1 800 267-6788 (in Canada and the U.S.) or (613) 944-6788 Fax: (613) 996-2157 Internet: www.voyage.gc.ca
