Travel Alert - South Pacific Cyclone Season

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 129761

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC ASEC XB
SUBJECT: Travel Alert - South Pacific Cyclone Season


1. American citizens residing in or traveling to the
South Pacific region are alerted that the South Pacific
cyclone season runs from November 1, 2008, through April
30, 2009. Countries in the South Pacific region covered
by this alert include Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, the
Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau,
Papua, New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga,
Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, as well as the territories of French
Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna islands.
American citizens in this region during the cyclone
season should monitor local weather reports and take
other appropriate action as further discussed below.
This travel alert expires on April 30, 2009.


2. Each season, the South Pacific region experiences
approximately nine tropical cyclones, about half of which
reach Category 3 intensity or above and have the
potential to cause severe destruction.


3. American citizens have often encountered
uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous conditions after
storms have passed while they awaited transportation back
to the United States. Many U.S. citizens traveling
abroad in affected regions have been forced to delay
their returns to the United States because of
infrastructure damage to airports and limited flight
availability. Damage to roads can limit access to
airports and land routes out of affected areas. Flights
can be suspended and passengers may face long delays
before normal airport operations and flight schedules
resume. U.S. embassies and consulates may be required to
limit hours or temporarily suspend non-emergency
services. Looting and sporadic violence have occurred
after natural disasters. Security personnel may not be
readily available to assist at all times.


4. Should a situation require an evacuation from an
overseas location, the State Department will work with
commercial airlines to ensure that U.S. citizens are
repatriated as safely and efficiently as possible.
Commercial airlines are the Department's primary source
of transportation in an evacuation and evacuees are
responsible for the cost of these flights. Other means
of transport are used only as a last resort.


5. The Department of State does not provide no-cost
transportation, but it has the authority to provide
repatriation loans to those in financial need. U.S.
citizens should always obtain travel insurance to cover
unexpected expenses during an emergency.


6. U.S. citizens living in or traveling to storm-prone
regions should prepare an emergency kit containing a
supply of bottled water, non-perishable food items, a
battery-powered or hand-crank radio, and vital documents
(especially passport and identification) in a waterproof
container. Emergency shelters often have access only to
basic resources and limited medical and food supplies.


7. U.S. citizens should monitor local media to stay
aware of any weather developments. For further
information on cyclone warnings in the South Pacific
region, please consult the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
(US military site) in Honolulu at
http://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc.php, as well as Fiji's
regional meteorological center responsible for cyclone
warnings in the South Pacific region at
http://www.met.gov.fj . Minor tropical
storms can develop into cyclones very quickly, limiting
the time available for a safe evacuation. Travelers
should apprise family and friends in the United States of

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their whereabouts, and keep in close contact with their
tour operator, hotel staff, and local officials for
evacuation instructions in the event of a weather
emergency. Travelers should protect their travel and
identity documents against loss or damage, as the need to
replace lost documentation could hamper or delay return
to the United States.


8. U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to register
with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the
Department of State's travel registration website at
https://travelregistration.state.gov. By registering,
American citizens can receive the Embassy's most recent
security and safety updates during their trip.
Registration also ensures that U.S. citizens can be
reached should an emergency arise either abroad or at
home. While consular officers will do their utmost to
assist Americans in a crisis, travelers should always be
aware that local authorities bear primary responsibility
for the welfare of people living or traveling in their
jurisdictions.


9. Additional information on cyclones and storm
preparedness may be found on the Cyclone Season 2008-2009
page of the Bureau of Consular Affairs' website at:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cycl one_season/c
yclone_season_4395.html. Updated information on travel
in cyclone-prone regions may be obtained from the
Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the
United States and Canada, or from other areas, 1-202-501-

4444. Travelers to the region are encouraged to check
the internet site of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with
consular responsibilities for the territory they will be
visiting (accessible at http://usembassy.state.gov). For
further information please consult the Country Specific
Information web page for the country or territory in
question, available at http://travel.state.gov.


10. Minimize considered.
RICE