North Queenslanders batten down for 'monster storm'

A CYCLONE described as a "monster, killer storm" is bearing down on Cairns, with communities far to the north, south and west also braced for its fury.

By InvestSMART · 2 Feb 2011

By InvestSMART ·
2 Feb 2011

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A CYCLONE described as a "monster, killer storm" is bearing down on Cairns, with communities far to the north, south and west also braced for its fury.

The latest modelling suggests cyclone Yasi is on track to hit Cairns in north Queensland about 1am tomorrow as a highly destructive category four storm with winds of more than 250 km/h.

The Australian Defence Force has been called in to evacuate hundreds of patients from two Cairns hospitals.

Residents in low-lying areas have been told to abandon their homes because of a storm surge of up to two metres likely in Cairns.

Premier Anna Bligh said communities hundreds of kilometres from where Yasi crossed the coast would be affected. "It's such a big storm, it's a monster, killer storm," she said.

The Bureau of Meteorology believes Cairns will be hard hit, and it's where the most serious preparations are being made. Communities as far north as Cooktown and as far south as Townsville are also braced.

Senior forecaster Ann Farrell said Yasi was intensifying and she could not rule out it reaching category five. "That would push winds up to around the 300 km/h mark," she said.

Yasi, which yesterday afternoon was a category three, was expected to take some time to die out after crossing the coast.

Another senior forecaster, Gordon Banks, warned cyclonic conditions may reach far inland, possibly as far as Mount Isa.

Yasi is expected to cover an area twice as big as cyclone Larry, which devastated Innisfail in 2006 and left a $1.5 billion damage bill.

Resident Barney Henderson lived through that and is preparing for the worst. "You think you know what being scared is but then you go through a big cyclone," Barney Henderson said. "I'd rather jump off a sinking boat with sharks circling than go through that again."

"It was awful it felt like we were going to be sucked out of the house," said his wife, Leonora. "The wind was so strong and it howled like the devil.

Ms Bligh said mandatory evacuation orders were being given in council areas from around Cooktown to Hinchinbrook for people in flood-risk areas. In Cairns alone, about 9000 people will be evacuated. Six evacuation centres have been set up.

Last night, Defence and other aircraft were flying several hundred patients to safety in Brisbane from the Cairns Base and Cairns Private hospitals.

State disaster management co-ordinator Ian Stewart said the nature of the threat must not be underestimated. "Please make no mistake. This storm is a deadly event," he said.

Cairns Airport will close at 10 am today and three other regional airports at Townsville, Proserpine and Hamilton Island have shut.

Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said: "We've been in touch with the Queensland government and the resorts and they were very keen to get as many people off the Whitsundays as soon as we could."

Among pressing operations was the evacuation of Hamilton Island, and its 1200 guests, 900 staff and 200 residents.

One airline has ceased operating out of Cairns, in anticipation of it closing today.

Qantaslink has ceased operating flights, while Qantas and Continental's last flights out of Cairns were last night. Jetstar, Tiger Airlines, Air Nuigini, Alliance, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Sky Trans will not operate today or tomorrow.

CATEGORY CYCLONE 4

Wind gusts to 279km/h

Heavy rain and storm surge

Signifi cant roofing loss and structural damage

Dangerous airborne debris and widespread power failure

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What is Cyclone Yasi and how strong is it expected to be?

According to the article, Cyclone Yasi is forecast to hit Cairns as a highly destructive category four storm with winds of more than 250 km/h and gusts reported up to 279 km/h. Senior forecasters said it could even intensify to category five (around 300 km/h). The Bureau warned of heavy rain, a possible storm surge of up to two metres in Cairns, and a system covering an area about twice the size of Cyclone Larry.

How are airports and airlines being affected by Cyclone Yasi?

The article reports multiple airport closures and flight suspensions: Cairns Airport was due to close at 10am, and regional airports at Townsville, Proserpine and Hamilton Island had shut. Qantaslink had ceased operating flights out of Cairns, while Qantas and Continental’s last flights left the night before. Jetstar, Tiger Airlines, Air Niugini, Alliance, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific and Sky Trans were listed as not operating today or tomorrow.

What happened on Hamilton Island and what does that mean for tourism operators?

Hamilton Island evacuated its 1,200 guests, 900 staff and 200 residents as part of storm preparations. The article also quotes Jetstar saying the government and resorts were keen to get people off the Whitsundays. These large-scale evacuations and airport shutdowns indicate immediate, significant disruption to resort operations and regional tourism activity while the cyclone passes.

Could Cyclone Yasi cause economic damage similar to past storms?

The article compares Yasi to Cyclone Larry, noting Yasi was expected to cover an area twice as big as Larry. Cyclone Larry devastated Innisfail in 2006 and left a $1.5 billion damage bill, so the comparison in the piece signals potential for substantial economic and recovery costs if Yasi causes similar widespread damage.

How are hospitals and emergency services responding to Cyclone Yasi?

The Australian Defence Force was called in to evacuate hundreds of patients from Cairns Base and Cairns Private hospitals, with several hundred patients flown to safety in Brisbane. State and local authorities had set up six evacuation centres and mandatory evacuation orders were in place for flood-risk areas from Cooktown to Hinchinbrook.

What kinds of infrastructure and utility disruptions does the article warn about?

Official warnings in the article list likely outcomes including heavy rain, storm surge, significant roofing loss and structural damage, dangerous airborne debris and widespread power failure. Forecasters also warned cyclonic conditions could reach far inland, potentially affecting communities well away from the coast.

Which communities are under the most threat and how many people are being evacuated?

The Bureau of Meteorology and state officials identified Cairns as where the most serious preparations were being made. Mandatory evacuation orders covered council areas from around Cooktown to Hinchinbrook for people in flood-risk areas. In Cairns alone about 9,000 people were to be evacuated and six evacuation centres had been set up.

As an investor, what short-term signals from the article should I watch after Cyclone Yasi?

Based on the article, investors may want to watch short-term operational signals such as airport reopenings and airline resumption notices, damage reports from tourism resorts (for example the Hamilton Island evacuation), infrastructure and power restoration updates, and official assessments of storm damage. The piece highlights large-scale evacuations, suspended flights and the potential for widespread structural damage — these are the immediate indicators of economic disruption described in the article.