Posted on 03/19/2006 8:38:07 AM PST by quantim
RESIDENTS in far north Queensland are bracing for Cyclone Larry, expected to be the worst storm to hit the area in decades. Thousands of residents last night fled the state's far north as authorities compared the violent storm to America's Hurricane Katrina.
Mandatory evacuations have been enforced in numerous low-lying seafront areas, including in the Johnstone and Cardwell shires, expected to bear the brunt of the cyclone and its 4m storm surge.
In addition to the evacuation of island resorts in the path of the cyclone, emergency authorities have also warned residents in low-lying areas between Cairns and Townsville to "seriously consider" leaving.
Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) senior forecaster Geoff Doueal said Larry - a category four cyclone that could develop into a five, the most intense rating - was 190km east of Innisfail and travelling west at 25km/h. The cyclone was expected to hit between Innisfail and Cardwell, south of Cairns, between 7am and 9am (AEST) today.
Mr Douel said Larry would bring with it "pretty horrendous weather".
"It's a very dangerous tropical cyclone," he said.
"(There will be) extreme gusts and destructive winds as well as flooding of low-lying areas."
He said destructive winds were forecast to start soon between Ingham and Port Douglas, with low-lying areas between Cairns and Townsville also expected to be flooded.
It had already started to become rainy and windy across the coast, Mr Douel said.
The spokesman for Townsville Thuringowa Disaster Co-ordination Centre, Tony Woods, said pressure had been taken off the highly populated area of Townsville after Larry took a northerly direction towards Mission Beach and Innisfail.
But Mr Woods was still worried about storms in the region.
"Just about everyone's battening down the hatches and waiting to see when the cyclone crosses," he said, adding the authority had received no calls so far.
"We'll just have to wait and see."
Mr Woods said there had been a "big rush" in the area's supermarkets late yesterday as people prepared for Larry.
"Our city dumps were bumper to bumper of people taking the garbage out before the blow. Service stations were chock-a-block pretty much all afternoon."
Battered ... wind and rain hammers Lamberts Beach in Mackay
fyi
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A Cyclone Moe would more scary... he was the mean one!
If all they get is "pretty horrendous weather", they should feel fortunate. Having withstood the American versions, I won't crack jokes but naming these storms after guys was always a silly idea.
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