Travel updates for September 24, 2004 as issued by the Consular Affairs Section of Foreign Affairs Canada. Current Issues: An entry concerning Hurricane Jeanne (natural disaster) was added. Bahamas and Florida Hurricane Jeanne is active in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to make landfall in the Bahamas on Saturday September 25, 2004 before heading to Florida. The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami has issued a hurricane warning in north-western Bahamas including the islands of Abacos, Andros, Berry, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, and New Providence. NHC has also issued a hurricane watch for the east coast of Florida from Florida City to St Augustine. For up-to-date information on Hurricane Jeanne, please visit the Web sites of the National Hurricane Centre and the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Canadians resident in, or travelling to Bahamas and Florida 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 Jeanne to maintain contact with relatives in Canada who may have concerns for their safety. For advice on travel to Bahamas or United States, see Foreign Affairs Canada's Travel Report. Haiti Canadians should not travel to Haiti unless they have critical or compelling business or family reasons. Hurricane Jeanne hit the northern coast of Haiti on September 19, 2004, resulting in heavy rains, severe flooding and mudslides. The hurricane caused a large number of casualties and considerable damage. The north and northwest, and specifically the city of Gonaïves, have been declared a disaster area. Half of the city of Gonaïves remains under water. Canadians in Haiti should avoid the affected areas, follow the advice of local authorities and contact the Canadian Embassy in Port-au-Prince should they require assistance. For advice on travel to Haiti, see Foreign Affairs Canada's Travel Report. Dominican Republic 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. For advice on travel to Dominican Republic, see Foreign Affairs Canada's Travel Report. An entry concerning Hurricane Ivan (natural disaster) was removed. An entry concerning Haiti (natural disaster) was removed. An entry concerning Dominican republic (natural disaster) was removed. The following Travel Report(s) were updated: Bahamas Dominican Republic Haiti Saudi Arabia United States 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 Canada125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2Tel.: 1 800 267-6788 (in Canada and the U.S.) or (613) 944-6788Fax: (613) 996-2157Internet: www.voyage.gc.ca
