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Cyclone Ita upgraded to category five as it heads for Queensland north coast Cyclone Ita upgraded to category five as it heads for Queensland north coast
(about 2 hours later)
Cyclone Ita has been upgraded to a category five and is on its way to hit far north Queensland's coast.Cyclone Ita has been upgraded to a category five and is on its way to hit far north Queensland's coast.
Ita was upgraded late on Thursday afternoon. It is predicted to land north of Cooktown on Friday night, with a strong chance of coinciding with a 7pm high tide.Ita was upgraded late on Thursday afternoon. It is predicted to land north of Cooktown on Friday night, with a strong chance of coinciding with a 7pm high tide.
This will create dangerous storm surges, about 1.5 metres bigger than usual high tides, from Port Douglas to Cape Melville, Queensland's Bureau of Meteorology says. This would create dangerous storm surges, about 1.5 metres bigger than usual high tides, from Port Douglas to Cape Melville, Queensland's Bureau of Meteorology said.
The bureau's senior forecaster, Pradeep Singh, says heavy rain would also trigger flash floods. The bureau's senior forecaster, Pradeep Singh, said heavy rain would also trigger flash floods.
He said while Ita was intense, it was a smaller system and would move slower than category five cyclone Yasi in 2011 and category four cyclone Larry in 2006.He said while Ita was intense, it was a smaller system and would move slower than category five cyclone Yasi in 2011 and category four cyclone Larry in 2006.
It was expected to bring 280km/h winds when it hit the coast, with 9000 people directly in its path.It was expected to bring 280km/h winds when it hit the coast, with 9000 people directly in its path.
He said that although Ita was intense, it was a smaller system and would move slower than category five cyclone Yasi in 2011 and category four cyclone Larry in 2006.He said that although Ita was intense, it was a smaller system and would move slower than category five cyclone Yasi in 2011 and category four cyclone Larry in 2006.
Ita was about 420km north-east of Cooktown on Thursday afternoon. It was expected to bring 280km/h winds when it hit the coast, with 9000 people directly in its path.Ita was about 420km north-east of Cooktown on Thursday afternoon. It was expected to bring 280km/h winds when it hit the coast, with 9000 people directly in its path.
Cooktown mayor Peter Scott said cyclone shelters were being put up Thursday night as winds of up to 100 km/h were forecast to hit the town on Friday morning.
"It's coming in faster and bigger than we first thought it was going to," he said while boarding up windows of his family home.
The Queensland premier, Campbell Newman, cut short an Asian trade trip and had arrived in Cooktown.The Queensland premier, Campbell Newman, cut short an Asian trade trip and had arrived in Cooktown.
He pleaded for campers and residents in low-lying areas to seek safer shelter.
"There'll be lots of rain, 100mm of torrential rain. That means flooding of creeks and road crossings," he said. "If it's flooded, forget it. Please don't put your life at risk."
Staff and tourists have left Lizard Island, while 50 mine workers have abandoned the Cape Flattery silica mine township, north of Cooktown.
Some residents north of Port Douglas evacuated their homes on Thursday.
Local Dianne Fursdon said an eerie feeling had enveloped Cooktown.
"It's really strange, everything has gone quiet," she said. "There's no bird sounds, no geckos and the ants are all crawling onto higher ground."
Fursdon said she was confident her home would withstand the storm.
"Maybe the roof will come off, but what the hell," she said. "All I need is my plonk and I'll be fine."
Fourteen-year-old Kathleen Stevens, her aunt and great aunt were buying buckets and jerry cans to fill with water and fuel at the 11th hour.
They had been warned they might have to go without water and power for some time. The family was hopeful their home could withstand the force of potentially destructive winds.
"But if it gets really bad we're going to head to the cyclone shelter," Kathleen said.
Port Douglas boatie John Nagan, 70, said he planned a cyclone party.Port Douglas boatie John Nagan, 70, said he planned a cyclone party.
“We'll get a couple of cartons of beer and a few bottles of white wine for the ladies,” he said from his yacht, which he plans to tether to mangroves in a river.“We'll get a couple of cartons of beer and a few bottles of white wine for the ladies,” he said from his yacht, which he plans to tether to mangroves in a river.
Some residents north of Port Douglas are already evacuating their homes, but Newman said his concern was for people camping in remote parts of the peninsula.
He said a helicopter could monitor the coast to check whether people were leaving.
A cyclone watch has been declared for areas up to 300km inland, including Kalinga, Laura, Palmerville and Chillagoe.A cyclone watch has been declared for areas up to 300km inland, including Kalinga, Laura, Palmerville and Chillagoe.