.gif)
Total Solar Eclipse July 22, 2009
Thousands of travelers are advised that China is under travel alert and Nepal under watch for travel warning. These countries are on the path of the Total Solar Eclipse 2009 set to appear in Asia on Wednesday, July 22.
According to NASA, the path of the Moon’s umbral shadow begins in India and crosses through Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, and China. After leaving mainland Asia, the path crosses Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and curves southeast through the Pacific Ocean where the maximum duration of totality reaches 6 min 39 s (documented by Espenak and Anderson in 2006). A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader path of the Moon’s penumbral shadow, which includes most of eastern Asia, Indonesia, and the Pacific Ocean. To follow the actual path, read this article extracted from NASA's report.
Safety Precautions - Travel Alerts and Travel Warnings (as posted by the US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs - International Travel)
A. Travel Alert - China
I. China - H1N1 Quarantine Measures (updated July 9, 2009 and expires September 30, 2009)
In May 2009, China implemented a policy that allows it to quarantine arriving passengers who exhibit fever or flu-like symptoms if they are coming from countries with cases of 2009-H1N1 (Swine flu), including the U.S. Travelers with a slightly elevated body temperature risk being placed into hospital quarantine, while passengers sitting in close proximity to another traveler with fever or flu-like symptoms may be taken to a specially-designated hotel for a quarantine of approximately seven days, even if they show no symptoms themselves.
The US Department of State has received reports of minors, some reportedly were under 10 years of age, traveling without a parent or adult guardian being taken into quarantine upon arrival. Parents considering sending their children unaccompanied to China are urged to consider postponing their travel until the quarantine policy ends or until 2009-H1N1 Influenza subsides.
Travelers to China are reminded that all foreign travelers, including U.S. citizens, are obliged to follow local procedures regarding quarantines and any other public health-related measures. The U.S. Embassy is unable to influence the duration of stay in quarantine for affected travelers. The Chinese government will not compensate people for lost travel expenses. Travelers to China are urged to consider purchasing travel insurance to protect against losses in the event they are quarantined.
For more information on U.S. Government policy during a pandemic, and for travel safety information, please see the State Department’s “Pandemic/Avian Influenza” and “Remain in Country” fact sheets on www.travel.state.gov. Further information about 2009-H1N1 Influenza, including steps you can take to stay healthy, can be found at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/, the U.S. Government pandemic influenza website at http://www.pandemicflu.gov, and the World Health Organization website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html.
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.
The Chinese provinces affected by the path of the Total Solar Eclipse are:
Beijing: The U.S. Embassy is located at No. 55 An Jia Lou Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. The American Citizen Services section can be contacted during regular business hours and for after-hours emergencies at (86) (10) 8531-4000. The Embassy consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, and Jiangxi.
Chengdu: The U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu is located at Number 4, Lingshiguan Road, Section 4, Renmin Nanlu, Chengdu 610041; tel. (86)(28) 8558-3992, 8555-3119; after-hours emergencies (86)(28) 1370 8001 422. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Guizhou, Sichuan Xizang (Tibet), and Yunnan, as well as the municipality of Chongqing.
Shanghai: The Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai is located in the Westgate Mall, 8th Floor, 1038 Nanjing Xi Lu, Shanghai 200031; tel. (86)(21) 3217-4650, ext. 2102, 2013, or 2134; after-hours emergencies (86)(21) 6433-3936. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
B. Travel Warning - Nepal
I. Nepal (updated May 22, 2009)
Most U.S. official travel outside the Kathmandu Valley, including by air, requires specific clearance by the U.S. Embassy’s Regional Security Officer. As a result, The U.S. Embassy’s ability to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens may be limited. Active duty U.S. military and Department of Defense contractors must obtain U.S. Embassy clearance in advance for official and personal travel to Nepal.
The U.S. Government’s designation of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” organization under Executive Order 13224 and its inclusion on the “Terrorist Exclusion List” pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act remain in effect. These two designations make Maoists excludable from entry into the United States without a waiver and bar U.S. citizens from transactions such as contribution of funds, goods, or services to, or for the benefit of, the Maoists.
Americans living or traveling in Nepal are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration website (https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs). The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu is located at Maharajgunj. The telephone number is 977-1-4007200, 4007201. The number for after-hours emergencies is 977-1-4007266, 4007269. The fax number is 977-1-4007281. The Consulate’s e-mail address is consktm@state.gov and its Internet web page is http://nepal.usembassy.gov. U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State’s latest Country Specific Information for Nepal and the Worldwide Caution, available at http://travel.state.gov.
Eclipse maps and data courtesy of Fred Espenak and Jay Anderson, "Total Solar Eclipse of 2009 July 22" (NASA/TP-2008-214169)
Related stories:
Total Solar Eclipse - July 22, 2009: Best places on Earth to view
Total Solar Eclipse 2009: Safety Precautions - Eye protection for safe eclipse viewing
Total Solar Eclipse 2009: Weather forecast in India, Nepal, China and Japan
Total Solar Eclipse 2009: Live web coverage - Next best places to view
Legal and political issues related to holistic travel abroad
By Gina Alzate, World Tours and Cruises
Comments
Travelers to China should be aware that this country has extremely strict measures on controlling suspected 'swine flu' (H1N1) infected individuals. Travelers have been forcibly quarantined beyond what most other countries and medical authorities would advise.
Indeed, some have been quarantined who are not even ill or infected. www.travelclinicsofamerica.com
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!