Cyclone heads to Australia
Source: Agencies |
February 1, 2011, Tuesday
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A STRONG tropical cyclone roared toward Australia's flood-ravaged northeast yesterday, prompting evacuations and warnings from officials that the storm could be the worst the already-swamped region has ever seen.
Cyclone Yasi strengthened to a Category 3 yesterday with winds up to 185 kilometers per hour. It was expected to hit the Queensland state coast on Wednesday or Thursday as a fierce Category 4 storm with wind gusts up to 260kph. The storm could dump up to one meter of rain on some communities already saturated from months of flooding, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said.
But Yasi is expected to strike somewhere along the state's north coast, largely avoiding areas to the south - including Brisbane - that have suffered the worst of the recent flooding. Still, Bligh said the storm's path could change and residents up and down the coast needed to be prepared.
"We couldn't rule out further flooding in areas that have already experienced significant flooding in the last few weeks," Bligh said.
Yasi is expected to hit Queensland just days after another storm struck the state. Cyclone Anthony hit the coast early yesterday morning and weakened from 130kph winds to a tropical low. The storm uprooted trees and knocked down power lines in some areas but didn't do any major damage.
"This is an event that we have to take seriously," Bligh said. "It may well be one of the largest and most significant cyclones that we've ever had to deal with."
Hamilton Island, a popular tourist destination off Queensland, began evacuating some visitors yesterday, and other islands were considering doing the same. Some nursing homes along the coast were also evacuating residents and officials urged people living in low-lying areas to consider leaving until the storm has passed.
Cyclone Yasi strengthened to a Category 3 yesterday with winds up to 185 kilometers per hour. It was expected to hit the Queensland state coast on Wednesday or Thursday as a fierce Category 4 storm with wind gusts up to 260kph. The storm could dump up to one meter of rain on some communities already saturated from months of flooding, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said.
But Yasi is expected to strike somewhere along the state's north coast, largely avoiding areas to the south - including Brisbane - that have suffered the worst of the recent flooding. Still, Bligh said the storm's path could change and residents up and down the coast needed to be prepared.
"We couldn't rule out further flooding in areas that have already experienced significant flooding in the last few weeks," Bligh said.
Yasi is expected to hit Queensland just days after another storm struck the state. Cyclone Anthony hit the coast early yesterday morning and weakened from 130kph winds to a tropical low. The storm uprooted trees and knocked down power lines in some areas but didn't do any major damage.
"This is an event that we have to take seriously," Bligh said. "It may well be one of the largest and most significant cyclones that we've ever had to deal with."
Hamilton Island, a popular tourist destination off Queensland, began evacuating some visitors yesterday, and other islands were considering doing the same. Some nursing homes along the coast were also evacuating residents and officials urged people living in low-lying areas to consider leaving until the storm has passed.
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