Myanmar struggles with quake relief
November 13, 2012 by AFP
Filed under Mekong Region, Myanmar, News
SINT KU, MYANMAR, 13 November 2012: Myanmar rescuers struggled Monday to bring help to outlying villages hit by an earthquake that aid agencies say has killed at least 13 and caused a bridge and mine to collapse.
A series of powerful aftershocks rattled nerves after Sunday’s 6.8-magnitude quake, which sent terrified people running from their homes in Myanmar’s second-biggest city of Mandalay and surrounding villages.
Authorities said they were providing help to victims including those without shelter after more than one hundred homes were damaged but that communication problems made it difficult to assess the scale of damage and reach more remote areas.
13 killed in Myanmar quake
November 12, 2012 by AFP
Filed under Mekong Region, News
SHWEBO, MYANMAR, 12 November 2012: A powerful earthquake which hit Myanmar Sunday killed at least 13 people, injured dozens and sparked panic in the major central city of Mandalay, residents and aid workers said.
The shallow 6.8-magnitude quake struck in a rural area 116 kilometres (72 miles) north of Mandalay followed by a series of aftershocks, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
Another strong quake with a magnitude of 5.8 shook the same region late Sunday, it added. The tremor was felt by an AFP team near the town of Shwebo, which is north of Mandalay and close to the epicentre of the earlier quake.
Disaster fund request
August 9, 2012 by Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit
Filed under News, Thailand
RANONG, 9 August 2012: Ranong Tourism Council is urging the government to establish a disaster relief fund specifically to support local business operators affected by natural disasters.
Ranong Tourism Council president and Tourism Council of Thailand Region 10 executive member, Nit Ouitekkheng, said investor confidence was shaken by news of recurring natural catastrophes in the region.
“To safeguard the future of the tourism sector, local business operators near the Andaman Sea, which is one of the risk areas, should be able to tap a disaster relief fund to provide cover for losses.”
Quake hits Sumatra
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, 6 June 2012: A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Tuesday, seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
The quake struck 75 km (47 miles) west of Banda Aceh just after 1800 (1100 GMT) at a depth of more than 35 km, the US Geological Survey said.
An AFP correspondent in Banda Aceh said people ran from their homes as the ground shook for about 30 seconds.
Region panics over tsunami warning
April 12, 2012 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News, Thailand
BANGKOK, 12 April 2012: An earthquake of 8.6 magnitude struck off the coast of Indonesia on Wednesday afternoon, sent residents living in coastal regions in Indian Ocean such as Indonesia, India, Maldives and South Thailand dashing out of their homes in fear of a tsunami. But eventually at around 2030 Bangkok time the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre based in Hawaii cancelled tsunami warning.
In the coastal areas in the south of Thailand (Phuket, Ranong, Krabi, Phang Nga, Trang and Satun), the alarm system, in place since the 2004 tsunami worked efficiently (though a few stations malfunctioned) . This allowed plenty of time for residents and tourists to evacuate. Evacuation centres were set up quickly on high ground locations that had beenidentified for the purpose.
Residents had a two-hour warning ahead of time, experts estimated a wave surge would reach theAndaman coast.
There was some chaos as people fled to higher ground and there were also confusion as to whether they should just move to a higher floor in hotelsor go to hillsides close by.
Region escapes tsunami threat
BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA, 12 April 2012: A tsunami watch around the Indian Ocean was lifted hours after two massive earthquakes struck off Indonesia’s Sumatra island Wednesday, sending terrified people fleeing from the coast.
The 8.6-magnitude quake hit 431 km (268 miles) off the city of Banda Aceh at 0838 GMT, and was followed by another undersea quake measured at 8.2, the US Geological Survey said.
Panicky residents poured into the streets of Banda Aceh, which was near the epicentre of a 9.1-magnitude quake in 2004 that unleashed an Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 220,000 people including 170,000 in Aceh province 26 December 2004.
Be safe not sorry
BANGKOK, 12 April 2012: Critics are coming out of the woodwork to lambast the government on its response to yesterday’s tsunami threat.
Travel industry leaders are bemoaning the impact on tourism confidence and playing the doleful tune that thousands of tourists will be too scared to visit Thailand’s west coast beaches.
It’s hog wash. None of these so-called tourism leaders consider the possible consequences if the government had backed off and a tsunami had indeed hit Phuket yesterday evening. There are thousands of named and unnamed graves to illustrate what happens when there is neither a warning or evacuation order.
Japan says thanks
February 27, 2012 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News
BANGKOK, 27 February 2012: Japan National Tourism Organisation will introduce a “thank-you” campaign for support given during the 11 March, 2011, earthquake and tsunami that devastated Northeast Japan.
JNTO said the campaign would welcome back tourists and thank nations that supported the country through the crisis.
“Japan. Thank You,” will be seen mostly on signs at major airports in Japan, immigration counters and in airline promotional literature handed to passengers flying to the country. Read more
Quake shuts Christchurch airport
WELLINGTON, 23 December 2011: The earthquake-devastated New Zealand city of Christchurch was rocked by a powerful 5.8 magnitude tremor Friday forcing evacuations from buildings, residents said.
New Zealand’s second largest city was hit by a 6.3-magnitude quake last February, killing 181 people and destroying much of the downtown area.
Government seismologists measured the latest shake at magnitude 5.8 and said it struck at 1:58pm (0058 GMT) eight km (five miles) deep. Read more
Christchurch eyes Asian travellers
SINGAPORE, 4 November 2011 – New Zealand’s quake-hit city of Christchurch is targeting Asia as it ramps up efforts to boost tourist arrivals while Western economies continue to struggle, a top official said Thursday.
Tim Hunter, chief executive of the Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism office, said most of the city was now back on its feet except for the central area, which bore the brunt of the 22 February tremor that killed 181 people.
Asia “is hugely important now because of the financial catastrophe in America and Europe,” Hunter told AFP in Singapore, where he met key travel industry players.
