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The usual New Year’s Eve tourism in the Pacific was canceled this year: although there should have been no corona infections in Kiribati and the first case in Samoa was only reported in mid-November, public fireworks were canceled. Currently, foreign tourists cannot visit the South Pacific islands.
Both countries are also worried about the new year due to global climate change. The storms have caused flooding in Samoa’s capital, Apia. The 3,000 islands that make up Kiribati are battling floods due to rising water levels in the Pacific.
Carefree party in New Zealand
In New Zealand, on the other hand, which was held at 12 noon, there were no restrictions. The New Year was greeted there with a series of major music festivals and fireworks displays. Unlike many other countries, the island state in the South Pacific has not registered any local corona cases for more than a month. Therefore, the events could take place without restrictions on the number of visitors or other restrictions related to the crown.
In the largest city, Auckland, there was a light show around Harbor Bridge and Sky Tower, followed by a five-minute fireworks show at midnight. One of the biggest New Year’s Eve events is the three-day Rhythm and Vines music festival, which takes place near the town of Gisborne, in the northeast of the North Island.
New Zealand considers itself successful in the fight against coronavirus thanks to early and strict measures. Since the start of the pandemic, 2,162 cases have been confirmed in the island state, 25 people have died from the pathogen Sars-CoV-2. The last case of local corona was registered in mid-November.
Sydney: juicy fines for spectators
Quite different in Australia: a few hours before the world famous New Year’s Eve fireworks in the harbor of the Australian metropolis Sydney (2pm CET), authorities threatened heavy fines for spectators – anyone trying to overcome barriers in the area of the The port risks a fine of 1,000 Australian dollars (about 626 euros), it said on Thursday.
That apparently worked: Sydney was like a ghost town the closer the New Year approached, watchers said. The world-famous fireworks show, one of the first in the world every New Year, was broadcast live on television. But it was smaller and, at seven minutes long, much shorter than usual. Normally, the show in the port of the Australian metropolis attracts more than a million people each year.
Traditional bells in Seoul only on television this year
Citizens of the South Korean capital Seoul (midnight to 4pm CET) had to give up the usual street parties at the end of the year due to the pandemic. The traditional ringing ceremony that the South Korean capital often uses to ring in the New Year was recorded without an audience and broadcast on television and social media. According to the city council, this ceremony has been held every year since 1953, the end of the three-year Korean War.
