Residents of North Queensland, our thoughts are with you. The storm may be over but the real damage caused by Cyclone Yasi is only now being assessed.
This morning Queensland Premier Anna Bligh reported the first cyclone-related fatality. A 23-year-old man has tragically suffocated from using a power generator in a closed room after the storm cut his electricity.
The damage amassed is the kind of screwed up carnage that you would expect from “the worst cycle in Queensland history”. 177,000 homes have been left without power, not to mention several hundred homes that are destroyed completely. 250 schools are currently closed, and there are concerns that some coastal regions and islands off the whitsundays might be without fresh running water for days.
Yasi also caused significant damage to two of Queensland’s major agricultural industries (sugar and bananas) with an estimated 20 per cent of the state’s sugar cane crop destroyed, and the mining industries took a major battering as well.
Have the eerie footage below taken by a resident of Annandale, Townsville as they surmise the damage done the previous night.
The storm is moving toward Victoria and the Bureau Of Meteorlogy has put out the following message for those residents in potential flood areas:
This Flood Watch means that people living or working along rivers and streams must monitor the latest weather forecasts and warnings and be ready to move to higher ground should flooding develop. Flood Warnings will be issued if Minor Flood Level is expected to be exceeded at key sites along the main rivers for which the Bureau of Meteorology provides a flood warning service (go to Flood Watch).
In the interests of community safety the SES suggests following precautions:
* Don’t walk, ride or drive through floodwater,
* Don’t allow children to play in floodwater,
* Stay away from waterways and stormwater drains, and
* Keep well clear of fallen power lines
For Cyclone or severe storm victims requiring assistance contact: Evacuation and info hotline 1300 993 191
Stay safe everyone.
Via news.com.au
