Australians were bracing themselves last night for another devastating storm. Queensland, still reeling from floods last month, is in line for the worst battering in the state’s history. Tropical cyclone Yasi is sweeping in from the Pacific and is expected to become as powerful as Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the United States in 2005. Ports have been shut down and homes evacuated along a 560-mile stretch of coast from Cairns to Mackay. The state’s northern capital of Townsville is in the direct path of the storm and islands on the Great Barrier Reef are planning evacuations.Rains accompanying the storm are expected to dump another 3ft of water into rivers which killed 35 when they broke their banks in December and January. ‘This is a very serious threat,’ said Queensland premier Anna Bligh. ‘I can’t overestimate the threat to people living in those regions. It may well be one of the largest and most serious cyclones we have had to deal with. I know cyclones can at the last minute turn off the coast, and I certainly hope this one does. But the weather bureau advises me in the most serious terms that all the estimates say that this is going to cross our coasts.’ Winds of up to 160mph are predicted to start lashing the state from tomorrow lunchtime. (Daily Mail)
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
One of the largest and most serious cyclones threats we have ever had to deal with: New danger for Queensland flood victims as storm builds off coast
Australians were bracing themselves last night for another devastating storm. Queensland, still reeling from floods last month, is in line for the worst battering in the state’s history. Tropical cyclone Yasi is sweeping in from the Pacific and is expected to become as powerful as Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the United States in 2005. Ports have been shut down and homes evacuated along a 560-mile stretch of coast from Cairns to Mackay. The state’s northern capital of Townsville is in the direct path of the storm and islands on the Great Barrier Reef are planning evacuations.Rains accompanying the storm are expected to dump another 3ft of water into rivers which killed 35 when they broke their banks in December and January. ‘This is a very serious threat,’ said Queensland premier Anna Bligh. ‘I can’t overestimate the threat to people living in those regions. It may well be one of the largest and most serious cyclones we have had to deal with. I know cyclones can at the last minute turn off the coast, and I certainly hope this one does. But the weather bureau advises me in the most serious terms that all the estimates say that this is going to cross our coasts.’ Winds of up to 160mph are predicted to start lashing the state from tomorrow lunchtime. (Daily Mail)