Nice truck attack on Bastille Day crowd: Travel warning issued for France by DFAT

THIS is the map showing the places in France where Australians need to exercise a high degree of caution, and it’s quite worrying.

Crowds flee the scene of an attack in the French city of Nice after a truck hit a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day. Source: Instagram

THIS is the map showing the places in France where Australians need to exercise a high degree of caution.

As you can see below, it’s the entire country.

The map, which is available on the Smarttraveller website, shows every region, administrative centre and points of interest all highlighted.

The nearby island of Corsica is also marked.

While the warnings themselves are not new, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said it was urging Australians to remain vigilant in light of today’s attack in Nice, which has so far claimed up to 80 lives.

Dozens more were injured, some critically, after the driver zigzagged through a crowd of people and opened fire as they celebrated Bastille Day at the popular French resort city.

French police opened fire on the truck, shooting the driver dead.

“The level system on Smartraveller, combined with the colour-coded map for each country, is an easy way for Australians to get a sense of the scale of risks at their destination,” Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said today.

“For each level, we provide guidance on the types of risk mitigation measures travellers can take.

“Every destination has risks, and these change over time. It is critical that travellers read and subscribe to the travel advice on the Smartraveller website, no matter where they are travelling, how long they are travelling, or how many times they may have visited previously.

“To help make informed decisions, travellers should subscribe to their desired destination the moment they start thinking about overseas travel. They can also follow Smartraveller’s updates on Facebook and Twitter.

“It is the traveller’s responsibility to stay informed and be prepared. Research, travel insurance and contingency planning is a key element of any international travel.”

These are the areas in France where Australians are urged to exercise a high degree of caution — that’s everywhere. Picture: DFAT

The tragedy is the latest in a series of attacks against French targets and tourists in recent months.

An attack on November 13 last year left 130 people dead when militants blew themselves up near the Stade de France stadium.

Others opened fire on downtown cafe terraces and a third group armed with guns and suicide vests killed 90 music fans at the Bataclan rock concert hall.

Before that in January last year jihadists attacked the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket that left 17 dead.

The country has also been the target of several recent lone wolf attacks.

Just last month Larossi Abballa stabbed two police officers to death moments before police stormed a house in Magnaville near Paris after hours of failed negotiations.

Pictures have emerged of the bullet-shattered windscreen of the truck used in the attack. Source: Twitter

That attack was the first since a state of emergency was declared following the terror attacks in the French capital in November last year.

It was due to be lifted on July 26, however French President Francois Hollande today said it would be extended by three months.

Ms Bishop also said today the Australian Government condemned the attack in Nice, adding DFAT was currently providing assistance to those caught up in the tragedy.

“Once again we stand resolutely with the people of France,” Ms Bishop said.

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with the victims and their families.

“We have reissued our travel advice for France to reflect the attack, but the overall level of advice has not changed.

“We continue to advise Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in France.”

Ms Bishop also urged Australians in France to “remain attentive to their surroundings”, avoid impacted areas and to follow advice from authorities.

She said France was a valuable counter-terrorism partner for Australia and the two countries co-operate closely in the fight against Islamic State.

Following recent terror attacks in Belgium, it also has the same level of travel warnings from DFAT.