Just look at this. Looks pretty terrible doesn't it?
This is cyclone Yasi bearing down on the north coast of Queensland.
Our weather scientists had a busy time predicting where and when this giant storm would hit.
Evacuation centres were busy last night as people left their homes and fled to shopping centres and other strongly built structures to wait through the night.
The cyclone was expected around midnight and the streets of all the towns, big or small, north of Mackay were completely deserted by 8:00pm.
Windows were taped up to try to prevent dangerous flying glass and homes and businesses were sandbagged against the predicted tidal surge and any flash flooding that might occur.
Hospitals in Cairns and Townsville had been evacuated and all their patients air-lifted to Brisbane and the Gold Coast hospitals.
Tremendous organisation and co-operation from all concerned meant that everyone was forewarned and prepared to face the oncoming storm.
We went into the night knowing that when the cyclone crossed the coast we would lose communication with these northern areas as electricity supplies would be cut and the only thing we could do was wait for daylight to come and it would then be safe to venture outside once again. They had a frightening night ahead of them but they were prepared and in the safest places they could find.
When daylight came it was to scenes like this.
Boats blown out of the water onto the land.
Trees completely uprooted.
Banana plantations ruined, the present crop strewn on the ground.
Older building have been destroyed including many timber homes and businesses and lots have lost their roofs especially in Tully, the worst centre of devastation, but newer buildings, constructed to special cyclone tolerances are safe.
Towns were battered but the people were safe.
And that's all that matters !
Cheers.
