Cyclone Yasi to hit Australian East Coast

[JC_AOR]

I'm not sure if this has been making any headlines elsewhere in the world, but one big fucker of a cyclone is about to hit Australia's East coast, around a place called Cairns in North Queensland. Just to give an idea of the size of this thing, check out this picture comparing to some other well known cyclones from yeras gone by.

 

 

Cairns has a population of ~120,000 people and is a huge tourist destination here in Australia.

 

A lot can change in 24 hours so lets hope this thing calms down a bit or does a u turn back to sea.

 

First the droughts, then the floods, now this. Mother nature is not very happy with us Queenslanders.

[JC_AOR]

Some more pics showing just how big this thing is.

 

 

 

[Geoff]

Yeah, I avoid the news but did catch this last night, actually awoke this morning with these people on my mind. That must be dreadful, being there at this moment knowing full well what is about to hit them. Those stats seem insane. As you say, I hope dearly it calms down a bit, or ideally, as you say, just goes away.

 

I saw them evacuating the Whitsunday Islands last night, and people in masses getting out of Cairns and Townsville. Anyway, what do you say? My thoughts are certainly with them. As you say, tough, tough summer for QLD already, and this is certainly no help.

[JC_AOR]

Yeah, I avoid the news but did catch this last night, actually awoke this morning with these people on my mind. That must be dreadful, being there at this moment knowing full well what is about to hit them. Those stats seem insane. As you say, I hope dearly it calms down a bit, or ideally, as you say, just goes away.

 

I saw them evacuating the Whitsunday Islands last night, and people in masses getting out of Cairns and Townsville. Anyway, what do you say? My thoughts are certainly with them. As you say, tough, tough summer for QLD already, and this is certainly no help.

 

Yeah the good thing about this is that people have had time to get out (lets hope most took that advise). They transfered something like 300 patients to hospitals in Brisbane. This cyclone is being described by weather people as the biggest storm front to ever hit queesland.

[Ytseman]

I really feel for these people and I pray it changes direction or fizzles out at sea.

 

2 years ago, my wife and daughter (then 6 months old) were staying on the coast 1 hour north of Rockie and a cyclone was coming. We had to pack up everything and stay with a friend of a friend until the cyclone passed...scary stuff.

 

We'll never go to Qld again in cyclone season!

[cdjunky41]

I know someone who lives in Queensland. My prayers go out to them and everyone else it may be in contact with..

[Swazi]

Not good ... ! All the best, guys !!

 

[JamesEagle]

Not good ... ! All the best, guys !!

 

 

Seconded. Just hope it's not as bad as expected.

[Chris]

As someone who lives in Hurricane Alley, I know what the stress of a storm coming can do. Just hope all get out as there are always some idiots who just don't want to leave. My thoughts and prayers are with them. Hope it weakens but it will still be a bitch of a storm.

[whiplash1972]

Hopefully the worst has passed, as last I read, the storm had dropped to a category 2.

Some pics here of the devastation seen in some areas (Cairns, Townsville):

 

http://news.ninemsn....-yasi.slideshow

 

 

 

 

No deaths reported so far, and hopefully it stays that way! There was, however, a birth:

 

http://news.ninemsn....-born-in-cairns

 

[Geoff]

Yeah., It's early days and obviously the damage to property will probably be quite significant, but as noted, no fatalaties at this point, which is an amazing result. The upside is how much time people had to prepare for this. Good result under the circumstances by the looks of it.