April 2, 2017

Alert – Colombia: Mudslides Leave More than 250 Dead

In the wake of torrential rains in southern Colombia Friday evening that caused mudslides, at least 254 are dead, 400 were injured and another 100 are missing.

According to CNN:

Rescuers in southern Colombia were scrambling Sunday to reach more than 100 people who are missing after devastating mudslides tore through entire villages. Hundreds are reported dead after torrential rains Friday night caused three rivers surrounding Mocoa, in Putumayo province, to overflow — sending a torrent of mud surging through the city.

Reports of the exact number of those killed in the rugged, remote area vary. The Colombian military said at least 254 are dead and around 400 more injured. The Red Cross reports 234 deaths and said that 158 people were missing.

President Juan Manuel Santos has declared a state of emergency. Santos put the death toll at 207 but told reporters at the scene that the number could climb. “The first thing I want to say is that my heart, our hearts, the hearts of all Colombians are with the victims of this tragedy,” he said. He said that the city had experienced in one night around a third of the rainfall that it should receive over the span of a month, blaming the disaster on climate change.

Heavy rains, high levels of deforestation, informal housing and dense human populations are some factors that can leave communities vulnerable to landslides, scientists say.

Aerial footage of the site showed some rooftops poking above the muddy deluge that flattened other homes, bridges and highways.

Power and water supplies to Mocoa have been cut by the disaster, and the hospital system has shut down, firefighters say. Images showed cars and buses trapped in several feet of mud. Gabriel Umaña, a spokesman for the Colombian Red Cross, told CNN that 300 families had been displaced and more than two dozen homes had been flattened.

Many were sound asleep when the river of mud hit their neighborhoods, and witnesses said the sludge flowed so fast that they had to run for their lives.

More than 1,000 soldiers and national police officers are involved in the ongoing rescue effort, and they are facing enormous challenges.

“The difficulties we are facing are that it is still raining in the region and the (mudslide) turned up a considerable amount of land. There are mobility issues on almost 80% of the roads, and where the road ends, it is three hours to the place where the (mudslide) took place,” a police spokesman told reporters.

Please contact the PR Team if you have any questions or concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.

April 2, 2017

Alert – Michigan: Carbon Monoxide Kills One, Hospitalizes Others at Quality Inn in Niles

On Saturday, a carbon monoxide leak at the Quality Inn in Niles, Michigan, left one dead and another 11 poisoned.

According to NBC News:

A carbon monoxide leak at a Michigan hotel Saturday morning led to one child’s death and caused 11 people, including six other children, to be rushed to the hospital, police said. The child — later identified by police as Bryan Douglas Watts, 13, of Niles — died en route to a local hospital, while the other children were transported to Memorial Hospital of South Bend, Indiana. They are all expected to make a full recovery, a spokesperson for the Lakeland Health Hospital in Niles told NBC News. They range from ages 12 to 14.

One hotel worker at the Quality Inn and Suites in Niles, along with two Berrien County officers and two Niles city police officers were also treated for exposure to the poisonous gas. The officers have all been released, but the employee is still being treated.

Hotel staff found the children lying unresponsive at an indoor pool deck and the breakfast area adjacent to the pool at 10 a.m. ET after noticing their figures through a window, Niles Fire Capt. Don Wise told NBC affiliate WNDU.

The Fire Department also said it found one of the children in a first-floor room unconscious and not breathing after family members alerted authorities. The child said she had just come from the pool.

The carbon monoxide monitor used upon entering the hotel revealed that the levels were 16 times the safety limit at 800 parts per million in the pool area and maintenance room, Niles Police Chief Jim Millin said. Normally, the safety code permits 50 parts per million.

“Officers quickly checked the airway of all involved to ensure they could breath, administered chest compressions to those in need and were able to get all the kids involved out of the building,” Millin said.

The hotel’s spokesman said the incident was “isolated” and is currently working closely with local authorities to handle the situation. “Our highest priority is always the safety and well-being of our guests,” the spokesman said.

The hotel was evacuated and remained shut down after the incident. The local health department planned to inspect the facility Saturday afternoon to determine if the pool should remain closed and the rest of the hotel could be reopened.

Please contact the PR Team if you have any questions or concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.

March 31, 2017

Alert – United States: Intelligence Sources Say Terrorists Could Potentially Use Laptop Bombs

Late today, news outlets are reporting that FBI testing demonstrates that explosives placed in electronic devices like laptops could potentially evade security screening.

According to CNN:

US intelligence and law enforcement agencies believe that ISIS and other terrorist organizations have developed innovative ways to plant explosives in electronic devices that FBI testing shows can evade some commonly used airport security screening methods, CNN has learned.

Heightening the concern is US intelligence suggesting that terrorists have obtained sophisticated airport security equipment to test how to effectively conceal explosives in laptops and other electronic devices.

The intelligence, gathered in the last several months, played a significant role in the Trump administration’s decision to prohibit travelers flying out of 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and Africa from carrying laptops and other large electronic devices aboard planes.

The findings may raise questions about whether the ban is broad enough. CNN has learned that, through a series of tests conducted late last year, the FBI determined the laptop bombs would be far more difficult for airport screeners to detect than previous versions terrorist groups have produced. The FBI testing focused on specific models of screening machines that are approved by the Transportation Security Administration and are used in the US and around the world.

“As a matter of policy, we do not publicly discuss specific intelligence information. However, evaluated intelligence indicates that terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation, to include smuggling explosive devices in electronics,” the Department of Homeland Security told CNN in a statement. “The U.S. government continually re-assesses existing intelligence and collects new intelligence. This allows DHS and TSA to constantly evaluate our aviation security processes and policies and make enhancements when they are deemed necessary to keep passengers safe. As always, all air travelers are subject to a robust security system that employs multiple layers of security, both seen and unseen.”

US authorities have said the electronics ban is focused on the eight countries in part because of intelligence indicating a greater threat there. Intelligence and law enforcement assessments done in recent months also indicate that, though the broader vulnerabilities exist, the US has more confidence in detection machines and security screeners at airports in the US and Europe. Advanced technology and training helps mitigate the risk.

The US and European countries use a layered approach to security screening that goes beyond X-ray equipment, according to US officials, including the use of bomb-sniffing dogs and explosive-trace detection.

Aviation security expert Robert Liscouski, a former Homeland Security assistant secretary for infrastructure protection, said limiting the ban to eight countries makes sense based on the capability and locations of terrorist groups.

Not only are US and European airports better protected, he said, but developed countries have a “better policy regime” that allows them to set standards and ensure uniform compliance.

When it originally announced the electronic ban, the TSA issued a statement explaining that it “works closely” with other countries to protect the traveling public. “TSA is confident in the security of all of our last point of departure airports,” the statement said. “TSA regularly assesses the effectiveness of security at all foreign airports served by U.S. air carriers and foreign air carriers that provide last point of departure services to the United States. This ensures international airports maintain a level of security consistent with international standards.”

When the electronics ban was announced, US officials told CNN they were concerned that terrorists had developed ways to hide explosives in battery compartments. But the new intelligence makes clear that the bomb-makers working for ISIS and other groups have become sophisticated enough to hide the explosives while ensuring a laptop would function long enough to get past screeners. Though advanced in design, FBI testing found the laptops can be modified using common household tools.

FBI experts have tested variants of the laptop bombs using different battery and explosive configurations to assess how difficult it would be for airport screeners to detect them.

The intelligence that contributed to the ban on electronic devices was specific, credible and reliable, according to three officials who used the same words to describe it. One official called the intelligence “hair-raising.”

At the same time, they also said there was no single, overwhelming piece of intelligence that led to the ban, rather it was an accumulation of intercepted material and “human intelligence.”

Please contact the PR Team if you have any questions or concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.

March 30, 2017

ALERT: America Airlines- Flight 1343 (DFW to ABQ) Crew Member Dies

Yesterday, the first officer of American Airlines Flight 1353 from Dallas/Fort Worth to Albuquerque became incapacitated as the crew was preparing to land the 737-800 aircraft. Paramedics performed CPR at the gate after the plane landed safely, but he was pronounced dead after 35-40 minutes. Incapacitation of a flight crew member is “extremely rare” according to CNN.

According to CNN:

An American Airlines first officer died Wednesday after becoming incapacitated during the last phases of landing at Albuquerque, New Mexico. American Airlines Flight 1353, a Boeing 737-800 flying from Dallas-Fort Worth to Albuquerque, was 2 miles from landing when the captain declared an emergency, citing “a medical issue” aboard, according to a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman.

American identified the first officer aboard flight 1353 as William “Mike” Grubbs.

The aircraft landed safely at 3:33 p.m., according to Flightaware, and taxied to the gate, where it was met by paramedics, said Daniel Jiron, spokesman for Albuquerque International Sunport. Two people familiar with the incident said CPR was performed for 35 to 40 minutes before the first officer was pronounced dead.

The airline said in a statement that it “is deeply saddened” by Grubbs’ passing. “We are taking care of First Officer Grubbs’ family and colleagues, and our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.”

The FAA said it “will follow up with the airline” to learn more about Wednesday’s incident.

Many of the tasks during final approach in a Boeing 737 can be handled safely by a single crew member, but it would significantly increase the stress and workload for the captain.

Incapacitation of a member of the flight crew is extremely rare. A 57-year-old American Airlines captain died in October 2015 after falling ill during a flight between Phoenix and Boston. That flight landed safely after being diverted to Syracuse, New York.

Please contact the PR Team if you have any questions or concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.

March 30, 2017

ALERT: U.S. Travel Ban Blocked Indefinitely

On March 15, a limited freeze was placed on the revised U.S. travel ban, effectively halting it.

Yesterday, Hawaii’s U.S. District Court Judge, Derrick Watson, issued a longer-lasting injunction, which now blocks the Executive Order indefinitely.

According to CNN:

U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson blocked the core provisions of the revised executive order two weeks ago, concluding that the order likely violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution by disfavoring Muslims. But Watson’s earlier decision was only a limited freeze of the executive order through a temporary restraining order.

As a result, the plaintiffs asked the judge to convert that decision into a longer-term preliminary injunction and Watson agreed Wednesday night, meaning that the President’s 90-day ban on foreign nationals from six Muslim-majority countries and the 120-ban on all refugees entering the country are now blocked indefinitely, unless any higher court changes Watson’s order or the state’s lawsuit is otherwise resolved.

The Justice Department said Thursday morning it will continue to defend the executive order.

Politico reports:

In a ruling Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson converted the temporary restraining order he issued into a preliminary injunction. He did not alter his earlier instruction that the federal government be barred from implementing a ban on issuance of visas to citizens of six majority-Muslim countries and from carrying out a plan to suspend refugee admissions worldwide.  An appeal to the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is expected. Last month, a three-judge panel of that court declined to disturb a Seattle-based federal judge’s broad order blocking key parts of Trump’s original executive order.

Please contact the PR Team if you have any questions or concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.

March 29, 2017

ALERT: Washington DC- Shots Fired Near Capitol, Suspect in Custody

This morning, a driver near the U.S. Capitol nearly struck police officers. Shots were fired and a suspect has been arrested.

According to ABC News:

Shots were fired this morning near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Capitol Police responded to the area at Washington Ave and Independence Ave, which is located near the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Rayburn House Office Building.

The suspect apparently struck a Capitol Police cruiser and then tried running over several officers who were on foot, according to Metro DC Police. At one point Capitol Police fired shots, but no one was hit.

The suspect was apprehended at 3rd and Independence Ave, and has been taken into custody.

No one was hit by the suspect’s car, police said.

The FBI said it would assist Capitol Police at the scene. There is no clear indication of a motive, or if this was an intentional act, according to the FBI. Later today police will hold a press conference at Bartholdi Park.

As of now, the two blocks closest to the incident are closed to foot traffic and officers are sending people and bikes around the Botanical Garden. The Rayburn House Office Building has reopened and tourists are continuing to move around.

Please contact the PR Team if you have any questions or concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.

March 28, 2017

ALERT: Australia- Cyclone Debbie Causes Destruction Near Tourist Area

Cyclone Debbie has caused a wide swath of destruction in northeast Australia. Although major cities have been spared, the area affected is popular with tourists due to its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef.

According to The Mercury News:

“Cyclone Debbie made landfall near Airlie Beach, a tourist resort and gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, at midday with wind gusts up to 162 mph, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Airlines canceled flights, as emergency services braced for flooding and destruction.”

USA Today reports:

“The storm was the equivalent of a Category 4 when it pushed ashore, the Weather Channel said.

The population of Queensland, a state in northeastern Australia, is about 4.6 million. The capital is Brisbane, Australia’s third-largest city. The storm hit about 560 miles northwest of Brisbane.”

Tourists were likely to be affected, said the BBC:

“It made landfall at close to its peak intensity, Dr Jeffrey D Kepert, head of the Bureau of Meteorology’s High Impact Weather Research told the BBC. Crucially, it is also very slow-moving. That ‘can be more damaging because the duration of strong winds is longer. As structures experience a longer battering, things like metal fatigue set in, leading to more damage. Also, more of the rain falls in the same area rather than being spread out, leading to a greater flood risk’.

Fortunately Debbie looks likely to head between two cities so ‘the destruction is likely to be somewhat less than feared’. And while tourists are less able to evacuate from the resorts that have been hit more directly, their hotels are ‘likely to have higher foundations’ and be built more solidly than many ordinary homes near the coast.”

Please contact the PR Team if you have any questions or concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.

March 27, 2017

ALERT: Hong Kong- Escalator Accident at Langham Place Injuries 18

After an escalator at Hong Kong’s Langham Place reversed direction and increased speed, at least 18 were injured. Langham Place, which includes a shopping mall, is the former home of the Langham Hotel in Hong Kong; however, after the Langham Hotel moved to a site nearly 3 kilometers away from Langham Place, the former property was reflagged as the Cordis.

According to ABC News:

At least 18 people were injured when an escalator at a shopping mall of Hong Kong’s Langham Place suddenly reversed direction and increased speed.

Video footage shot by witnesses showed that an upwards escalator on Saturday suddenly reversed and went downward at a higher speed, leading to dozens of passengers losing their balance and tumbling down to the ground. Local media outlet Radio Television Hong Kong quoted an injured passenger as saying that the escalator was going “twice as fast.”

Several ambulances rushed to the scene and took the injured to nearby hospitals. A man who suffered a head injury was in serious condition, according to police.

RTHK quoted an expert in escalator maintenance of Hong Kong’s Vocational Training Center as saying that this kind of accident rarely happens in Hong Kong and may be attributed to the malfunction of the escalator’s anti-reversal gear and auxiliary safety gear.

A spokeswoman of the shopping mall Mong Kok and a director of the mall’s property management company said the escalator has been in service for years with a fine record of operation. It passed a recent inspection on March 23, showing no signs of mechanical defects or falling short of safety standards. The contractor for maintaining the escalator, the Otis Elevator Company, has been asked to investigate the cause of the accident.

“We are urging the Otis Elevator Company to thoroughly probe into the accident, in concerted effort with the police, the fire department and other government sectors,” said Mr. Chao, general manager of Hong Kong’s Langham Place, Great Eagle Holdings Limited.

Please contact the PR Team if you have any questions or concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.

March 25, 2017

ALERT: Las Vegas- Shooting Outside Cosmopolitan Leaves One Dead

A shooting outside of Las Vegas’ Cosmopolitan Hotel has left one two people shot and one person dead. A suspect is reportedly barricaded on a bus. No information suggests that this incident is related to the burglary at the Bellagio according to Las Vegas Police.

According to the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Las Vegas Boulevard between Flamingo Road and Harmon Avenue remained closed early Saturday afternoon because of a deadly bus shooting in front of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Two people were shot and one died after a shooting on a Regional Transit Commission bus late Saturday morning. Police responded to the call of a shooting at 10:48 a.m. at 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South near Harmon Avenue.

Las Vegas Metropolitan police department spokesman Officer Larry Hadfield told reporters at 1 p.m. that two people had been shot on the RTC bus and had been taken to University Medical Center, where one died. The second person’s condition is unknown, Hadfield said.

Hadfield emphasized nobody fired shots inside any of the nearby casinos.

“We believe we have the suspect on the bus,” Hadfield said. SWAT, hostage and crisis negotiators were on the scene, he added.

When asked whether any passengers were still on the bus, Hadfield briefly paused and said detectives still were conducting interviews.

Officers went through nearby hotels, Hadfield said, “to ensure that the incident did not spill outside of the actual scene.”

There was a loud bang doing near the scene about 1:45 p.m. It was unclear what caused the bang.

Hadfield said there is no “credible information” that there is a second suspect and there was no “active shooter” situation at any casino.

Strip traffic is shut down north and south because of the incident and traffic access from Harmon Avenue is limited from west to east, Hadfield said.

He said police have no motive for the shooting.

MGM Resorts issued a statement at 2:15 p.m. that pedestrian and vehicle traffic were being diverted from the Bellagio main entrance because of the police situation.

Please contact the PR Team if you have any questions or concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.

March 24, 2017

ALERT: Peru- Flooding Continues; State Department Issues Travel Alert 

Severe flooding continues to affect northern Peru, although major tourist sites farther south like Lake Titicaca, Cusco and Machu Picchu have escaped damage. The U.S. Department of State has issued a Travel Alert regarding travel to the regions of Peru impacted by flooding, advising “U.S. citizens should avoid travel to areas under a state of emergency.”

According to Accuweather:

“El Niño-like storms have drenched the nation since December, leading to catastrophic mudslides and flooding. More than 80 people have been killed due to the storms. More than 650,000 citizens have been affected with more than 145,000 properties damaged, local officials reported.”

Deutsche Welle reports:

“The mudslides have caused yet another problem for the people in Lima: together with plastic waste dragged from the shores, the mud has clogged the filters of the Sedapal water company forcing it to disconnect most of the city from supplies. Water is now brought to certain distribution points by trucks, where people line up with buckets and jerrycans to at least cover their basic needs. In the first days following the water cut, the supermarkets quickly ran out of bottled drinking water – a further crisis in what is already an abnormally hot summer for Lima, home to some 10 million inhabitants.”

The Economist notes that the flooding may have far-reaching consequences for the Peruvian economy:

“But the flooding is just the latest problem in Mr [Pedro] Kuczynski’s [President of Peru] in-tray. Last year, the government had forecast growth of 4.8% for 2017. In January it cut that prediction to 3.8% as the scale of a scandal involving Odebrecht, a big Brazilian construction firm, became clear.

Please contact the PR Team if you have any questions or concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.