Here is a photo which demonstrates the magnitude of the cyclone which recently brought so much rain and devastation to the northern parts of Queensland.
Reports of damage from the winds of up to 220 + km per hour are just beginning to filter through as communications have been difficult with electricity out and telephone towers down.
The lovely resorts of the Whitsunday Islands copped a lot of the storm as it hovered above them for several hours before crossing the coast near Bowen.
Here are some photos that are coming through ( courtesy Courier Mail )
These solar panels not doing much good now !
Our Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk and the man in charge of the cleanup, Christopher Field flew up to inspect the damage together.
The Army mobilised as soon as it was safe driving down from Townsville .....
The cyclone turned into a very slow moving Low which then made its way down the coast and yesterday parts of Brisbane and the nearby holiday mecca of the Gold Coast and Northern NSW received over 400 mm of rain.
That's 16 inches in 24 hours people !!
Supplies were packed and despatched to the North from Brisbane today as the onslaught was finally over here too.
So today dawned sunny and thankfully cooler and the recovery begins.
With Easter close and school holidays starting a day early as all the schools are still closed, resorts are looking at huge losses as most will not be ready for this prime holiday time.
That's Australia for you - drought or flood. We don't seem to do moderation !
Cheers.
Australia certainly doesn't do things by halves when it comes to weather. I've experienced some fairly minor storms when we were out there and they were terrifying.
ReplyDeleteThat was some huge storm. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
ReplyDeleteSue and Rachel:
ReplyDeleteSeems the only time we get rain it is an event like this ! Then it's drought till the next time.
It's been quite a week here in Queensland and in Northern New South Wales.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're not affected by the flooding where you are, Helen. All is well up here on the mountain...but boy, oh, boy...we received much rain on Thursday through into the night.
Yes thanks Lee we are fine. Our suburb is only affected by the river when it floods and then it doesn't worry us personally. You learn very young in Brisbane that the only place to live is on the top of a hill....just in case ! very sorry for those with damage from the wind and rain.
ReplyDeleteGosh that was some storm wasn't it? So glad you personally were not too badly affected but it will certainly put paid to tourism for a while won't it? Think of you often.
ReplyDeleteWe often think of you and David and your Traveller too Jane. Hope all is well and you are fully recovered from all your eye problems.
ReplyDeleteWe saw some of the damage as reported on TV. So glad you and your family are safe! Ros
ReplyDeleteI've hardly been in Blogland for nearly a week and I didn't see anything about this on the BBC's news either so I'm grateful for your post and for the image which shows just how massive the cyclone was. I do hope that all my Aussie friends are ok (my relations are all on the West Coast). I'm assuming that no news is good news on this occasion but I shall now do some checking just in case. At least I don't have to check on Lee.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are fine Helsie. We are getting the leftover rain at the moment. And there is still plenty of it!
ReplyDeleteThat cyclone must have been very powerful indeed as it appears to have lifted up The British Isles and plonked them in the southern hemisphere!
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