Posted on 03/19/2006 4:04:44 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(CBS/AP) A powerful tropical cyclone packing winds of up to 180 miles-an-hour struck northeastern Australia early Monday, injuring at least three people.
Tropical cyclone Larry smashed into the coastal community of Innisfail, about 62 miles south of Cairns, a popular jumping-off point for the Great Barrier Reef, sending hundreds of residents fleeing for higher ground, reports CBS News.
A Queensland state police spokeswoman at Innisfail said three people had been reported injured so far in the storm, including a woman who was struck by flying glass and two others who were hurt after falling down.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Heh heh. Actually, I think I was reading kph or it was a typo; I don't know from metrick.
Oh no, not the bananas!
Cyclone devastates banana crop
From: AAP By Robin Pash
March 20, 2006
CYCLONE Larry has devastated Australia's banana industry, destroying fruit worth $350 million and leaving up to 4000 people out of work.
Australians now face a shortage of bananas and likely price rises after the cyclone tore through the heart of the nation's biggest growing region today.
Queensland produces about 95 per cent of Australia's bananas.
The Australian Banana Growers Council said the storm had wrecked the industry, ruining 200,000 tonnes of fruit.
"The banana crop in north Queensland has been decimated, probably between 90 and 100 per cent of the total crop is on the ground," council president Patrick Leahy said.
"Innisfail and Tully took the brunt of it, a large section of the industry on the tablelands is knocked out and the only section that seems to have come away with less damage is the Kennedy area.
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"That means better than 80 per cent of the total Australian crop is on the ground."
Mr Leahy said with total production estimated to be worth $380 million and $400 million for the year, the cyclone had destroyed as much as $350 million in produce.
It was the worst cyclone damage to crops he had seen in 16 years as a grower and the storm would have a huge and immediate impact on jobs.
"There's going to 3000 or 4000 unemployed within the next week," Mr Leahy said.
"All of our workers are not going to have a job because there's going to be no bananas to pick and pack...
http://finance.news.com.au/story/0,10166,18534072-31037,00.html
I'll try to think of something else :)
I wonder how the Great Barrier Reef will fare. Prayers out for our Aussie Brethren. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie,...Oy,Oy,Oy,
Katrina was a Cat 3 hurricane when it made landfall with max sustained winds of just under 130 mph. They just dont know when to quit lying.
They have dingoes in Australia, not ding-dongs like in New Orleans.
When I hear the word "cyclone" I think "tornado" not "hurricane". In any event, I can only imagine what these people are going through - not my idea of a good time whatsoever. That's why I choose NOT to live anywhere near the SE coasts and eastern seaboard of this country.
"Cyclone Larry".... Wasn't he a tag team partner of Chief Jay Strongbow's for a little while?...
Thankfully, no deaths have been reported, only minor injuries to 30 people.
I think he should have done the transaltion from KPH that's Kilometers per hour.....to miles per hour....still a big storm....
Damn, lots of good bananas ruined is terrible.,....now my prices are gonna go up, but I gotta have one every day!
I thought Bush induced Global warming only attacked the US. No one is safe from this man./sarc
My prayers going up for all who are threatened by the storms. God's protection for Northeastern Australia.
Blessings,
trussell
If you want on/off my prayer ping list, please let me know. All requests happily honored.
I join in your prayer for all those threatened by this storm.
John Howard will have to take the wrap this time.
They are getting too far south. Brisbane was badly flooded in 1974 as a result of rains brought in by cyclone Wanda. However, direct hits as in the north do not occur. Right now the Brisbane region would like some rains from the cyclones as the dams are getting very low.
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