So far, two people are dead and tourists have had to be rescued as heavy flooding continues to invade Fiji’s tourist belt. The main airport city of Nadi is under water and surrounding cities are suffering damage as the result of a persistent tropical depression. Concern is growing around Denarau, a tourist complex built on an artificial set of islands near the mouth of the flooding Nadi River. Hundreds of people continue to be evacuated as the flooding continues across Fiji. (ETurboNews.com, Jan. 23)
It has been barely a week since the Costa Concordia cruise ship ran aground and tipped over off of the coast of Italy. Ferries from the mainland have been jammed with day-trippers trying to get a close-up view of the wreckage. More than 1000 visitors arrived on the island of Giglio from Tuscany’s Porto Santo Stefano on Saturday, almost 10 times the normal number for a weekend in the off season. Since the accident, 16 passengers have been found dead and 17 are still missing. Giglio tourism officials are aghast at the unwanted notoriety and have told tourists to wait a few weeks before visiting the island. (Travel.USAToday.com, Jan. 23)
