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| Cyclone Debbie batters Queensland coast with 'howling winds, torrential rain' – live updates | Cyclone Debbie batters Queensland coast with 'howling winds, torrential rain' – live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 2.51am BST | |
| 02:51 | |
| Operators of the Kinchant Dam at Mackay have begun releasing water after the heavy rains brought by the cyclone sent it beyond capacity overnight. | |
| Colin Bendall, executive general manager of operations and services at SunWater, told ABC Rural this was a routine action in response to a full dam, and they began releasing water about 11.30pm Monday. | |
| About 700 megalitres a day will be discharged, and has cut off a road at a point known as Anthony’s Crossing. Bendall said plenty of notice was given to residents and due to the unpredictability of cyclones they waited until last night so as not to cut off the road too early. | |
| 2.43am BST | |
| 02:43 | |
| Summary | |
| As of half an hour ago, Cyclone Debbie remained a category four storm, sitting about 35km north-west of Hamilton Island and 65km east of Bowen. It’s moving at a very slow 9km/h. | |
| At the centre of the cyclone the BoM has recorded sustained winds of 185km/h with gusts to 260km/h. | |
| Its very destructive core was already impacting the Whitsundays, and was expected to cross the north Queensland mainland between Bowen and Airlie beach early this afternoon, but those areas are already being affected. | |
| All residents in its path have been told to stay calm and remain in a secure shelter above expected water levels. Don’t go outside, obviously, including when the eye passes over and conditions appear calm but will worsen again with little warning. | |
| #CycloneDebbie impacting Airlie Beach this morning. Conditions will intensify as the system moves closer. Stay inside. Stay safe. #TCDebbie pic.twitter.com/qnNmHETgek | |
| Reports have already come in of roofs lifting off houses and buildings, and about 23,000 homes are without power, mostly in Mackay and the Whitsundays. | |
| Waves of up to eight metres were recorded by buoys off Mackay overnight, which Weatherzone said was only the fourth time in recorded history. | |
| There are concerns about higher than normal tides coinciding with the cyclone to create dangerous storm surge conditions and potential flooding. | |
| Almost 400 schools and childcare centres in north Queensland have been closed. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.02am BST | |
| 2.28am BST | 2.28am BST |
| 02:28 | 02:28 |
| Hello, this is Helen Davidson, taking over the live coverage of Cyclone Debbie for the next few hours. | Hello, this is Helen Davidson, taking over the live coverage of Cyclone Debbie for the next few hours. |
| I’ll get a summary of the current situation up shortly, as the storm moves ever so slowly over the Queensland coast. | I’ll get a summary of the current situation up shortly, as the storm moves ever so slowly over the Queensland coast. |
| But first a word of warning from actor, Russell Crowe, in case you were waiting on that vital celebrity encouragement to get out of the storm. | But first a word of warning from actor, Russell Crowe, in case you were waiting on that vital celebrity encouragement to get out of the storm. |
| Hope everyone in Queensland stays safe & sound. Just for once I'll say "c'mon Queenslander !" One of the most beautiful places on the planet | Hope everyone in Queensland stays safe & sound. Just for once I'll say "c'mon Queenslander !" One of the most beautiful places on the planet |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.31am BST | at 2.31am BST |
| 2.17am BST | 2.17am BST |
| 02:17 | 02:17 |
| Joshua Robertson | Joshua Robertson |
| Whitsunday regional councillor, Mike Brunker, who is based in Bowen, said there was “huge concern” around the ability of the town’s older buildings to withstand the cyclone’s onslaught. | Whitsunday regional councillor, Mike Brunker, who is based in Bowen, said there was “huge concern” around the ability of the town’s older buildings to withstand the cyclone’s onslaught. |
| The last time Bowen, population 10,000, was rebuilt after a major cyclone was in 1958, when it was “wiped nearly off the map”, Brunker said. | The last time Bowen, population 10,000, was rebuilt after a major cyclone was in 1958, when it was “wiped nearly off the map”, Brunker said. |
| This meant much of the local housing dates to before cyclone ratings were introduced to building codes in the early 1980s. | This meant much of the local housing dates to before cyclone ratings were introduced to building codes in the early 1980s. |
| “If the eye goes just south of us and it’s around 250km an hour wind gusts, it’s going to be interesting because we have got a lot of older houses, that’s the issue,” Brunker said. | “If the eye goes just south of us and it’s around 250km an hour wind gusts, it’s going to be interesting because we have got a lot of older houses, that’s the issue,” Brunker said. |
| “It’s a huge concern because [Cyclone Debbie] is going so slow. | “It’s a huge concern because [Cyclone Debbie] is going so slow. |
| Where Yasi “ripped through” in 2011, Debbie was “going back to 6km an hour”. | Where Yasi “ripped through” in 2011, Debbie was “going back to 6km an hour”. |
| “With the rain and the softening of the ground, and the hours of relentless blowing, that’s when trees fly, your roofs go and that sort of stuff,” Burnker said. | “With the rain and the softening of the ground, and the hours of relentless blowing, that’s when trees fly, your roofs go and that sort of stuff,” Burnker said. |
| “I think we will get some sustained damage. | “I think we will get some sustained damage. |
| “I’m looking at my next door neighbour’s solar panels as we speak and it’ll be interesting to see how many solar panels survive.” | “I’m looking at my next door neighbour’s solar panels as we speak and it’ll be interesting to see how many solar panels survive.” |
| Local authorities “won’t hold out much hope” for the local golf course, but caravan parks would be spared the brunt of crashing waves because of foreshores they “cemented back in the 50s”, Brunker said. | Local authorities “won’t hold out much hope” for the local golf course, but caravan parks would be spared the brunt of crashing waves because of foreshores they “cemented back in the 50s”, Brunker said. |
| The modern-day Horseshoe Bay Road was now set back 150 metres from where the old road was, “that’s how much [foreshore] we’ve lost in 50 years”, he said. | The modern-day Horseshoe Bay Road was now set back 150 metres from where the old road was, “that’s how much [foreshore] we’ve lost in 50 years”, he said. |
| “I took some before and after shots last Wednesday so it’ll be interesting what comes about.” | “I took some before and after shots last Wednesday so it’ll be interesting what comes about.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.26am BST | at 2.26am BST |
| 2.12am BST | 2.12am BST |
| 02:12 | 02:12 |
| I’m handing over our coverage to reporter Helen Davidson, who will continue to monitor Cyclone Debbie as it continues its slow crawl toward the north Queensland coast. | I’m handing over our coverage to reporter Helen Davidson, who will continue to monitor Cyclone Debbie as it continues its slow crawl toward the north Queensland coast. |
| 1.59am BST | 1.59am BST |
| 01:59 | 01:59 |
| Wind gusts have reached 263km/h at Hamilton Island | Wind gusts have reached 263km/h at Hamilton Island |
| Wind gusts have reached a staggering 263km/h at Hamilton Island, as the eye wall of Cyclone Debbie continues to move slowly through the Whitsundays. | Wind gusts have reached a staggering 263km/h at Hamilton Island, as the eye wall of Cyclone Debbie continues to move slowly through the Whitsundays. |
| This footage from Instagram user Tarin Moloney gives a sense of what it’s like for those on the island right now. Moloney said the pressure from the wind was making her ears pop. | This footage from Instagram user Tarin Moloney gives a sense of what it’s like for those on the island right now. Moloney said the pressure from the wind was making her ears pop. |
| Cyclone Debbie spam. The pressure from the wind is making our ears pop. #cyclonedebbie #hamiltonisland | Cyclone Debbie spam. The pressure from the wind is making our ears pop. #cyclonedebbie #hamiltonisland |
| A post shared by Tarin (@tarinmoloney) on Mar 27, 2017 at 3:59pm PDT | A post shared by Tarin (@tarinmoloney) on Mar 27, 2017 at 3:59pm PDT |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.00am BST | at 2.00am BST |
| 1.55am BST | 1.55am BST |
| 01:55 | 01:55 |
| Queensland Health has activated emergency operation centres and says hospitals remain open, despite the loss of power, including in Townsville and Mackay. | Queensland Health has activated emergency operation centres and says hospitals remain open, despite the loss of power, including in Townsville and Mackay. |
| 🌀 #TCDebbie update 🏥- Hospitals remain open incl. @TownsvilleHHS & @MackayHHS - Health Emergency Operations Centres have been activated. | 🌀 #TCDebbie update 🏥- Hospitals remain open incl. @TownsvilleHHS & @MackayHHS - Health Emergency Operations Centres have been activated. |
| 1.45am BST | 1.45am BST |
| 01:45 | 01:45 |
| The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services deputy commissioner, Mark Roche, said he had not yet received reports of widespread structural devastation. But he said his staff will not go outside until the winds reduce to at least 80km/h. | The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services deputy commissioner, Mark Roche, said he had not yet received reports of widespread structural devastation. But he said his staff will not go outside until the winds reduce to at least 80km/h. |
| “We are seeing some of the footage coming from areas like Hamilton Island. A lot of wind, a lot of rain,” he told the ABC. | “We are seeing some of the footage coming from areas like Hamilton Island. A lot of wind, a lot of rain,” he told the ABC. |
| “We do believe there will be significant structural damage, significant flooding. There will be electrical wires down and the community just need to ride out this storm.” | “We do believe there will be significant structural damage, significant flooding. There will be electrical wires down and the community just need to ride out this storm.” |
| Asked what reports he had from the popular tourist hub of Airlie Beach, Roche said: | Asked what reports he had from the popular tourist hub of Airlie Beach, Roche said: |
| “What they are seeing is trees falling out or being uprooted. Some minor damage around their houses and property ... but the reality is this will be widespread and this will be across a very vast area and people just need to ride out the storm.” | “What they are seeing is trees falling out or being uprooted. Some minor damage around their houses and property ... but the reality is this will be widespread and this will be across a very vast area and people just need to ride out the storm.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.48am BST | at 1.48am BST |
| 1.33am BST | 1.33am BST |
| 01:33 | 01:33 |
| Yachts moored off of Airlie Beach are already being pushed around by Cyclone Debbie, well before the most destructive winds are forecast. Channel 7 has just posted this footage of a yacht being pushed into the breakwater. | Yachts moored off of Airlie Beach are already being pushed around by Cyclone Debbie, well before the most destructive winds are forecast. Channel 7 has just posted this footage of a yacht being pushed into the breakwater. |
| Amazing footage of a yacht slamming into the breakwater wall at Airlie Beach, QLD #TCDebbie #sun7 pic.twitter.com/eVtPd6mQPq | Amazing footage of a yacht slamming into the breakwater wall at Airlie Beach, QLD #TCDebbie #sun7 pic.twitter.com/eVtPd6mQPq |
| 1.29am BST | 1.29am BST |
| 01:29 | 01:29 |
| Police staffing triple-zero calls have told of increasingly panicked calls for help, according to AAP. | Police staffing triple-zero calls have told of increasingly panicked calls for help, according to AAP. |
| One caller said the roof was lifting off an apartment building in the Whitsunday region. Another caller from the region is sheltering in the laundry of a home whose roof has caved in. | One caller said the roof was lifting off an apartment building in the Whitsunday region. Another caller from the region is sheltering in the laundry of a home whose roof has caved in. |
| We’re still several hours out from Cyclone Debbie’s landfall. Timing is fluid, but the cyclone continues to crawl south-west towards the coast at 6km/h. The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest forecast is for landfall about 2pm. At 10am local time, Debbie was about 75km east of Bowen and 50km north of Hamilton Island. | We’re still several hours out from Cyclone Debbie’s landfall. Timing is fluid, but the cyclone continues to crawl south-west towards the coast at 6km/h. The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest forecast is for landfall about 2pm. At 10am local time, Debbie was about 75km east of Bowen and 50km north of Hamilton Island. |
| The Bureau of Meteorology has just confirmed on radio the landfall time of #TCDebbie is likely to be around 2pm. | The Bureau of Meteorology has just confirmed on radio the landfall time of #TCDebbie is likely to be around 2pm. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.32am BST | at 1.32am BST |