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Cyclone Ita: north Queensland residents told to prepare or evacuate Cyclone Ita: north Queensland residents told to prepare or evacuate
(about 3 hours later)
More than 9,000 residents of far north Queensland coastal communities in the path of tropical cyclone Ita have been warned to expect “very destructive winds” and possible flash flooding as the giant category-five weather system bears down.More than 9,000 residents of far north Queensland coastal communities in the path of tropical cyclone Ita have been warned to expect “very destructive winds” and possible flash flooding as the giant category-five weather system bears down.
The severe tropical cyclone, which was upgraded to the highest possible rating on Thursday afternoon, is expected to make landfall between Cape Melville and Cooktown about 7pm on Friday.The severe tropical cyclone, which was upgraded to the highest possible rating on Thursday afternoon, is expected to make landfall between Cape Melville and Cooktown about 7pm on Friday.
The mayor of Cook Shir, Peter Scott, has urged residents in the area to secure their properties by noon before gales of 125km/h are expected to hit.The mayor of Cook Shir, Peter Scott, has urged residents in the area to secure their properties by noon before gales of 125km/h are expected to hit.
"People should be making their final preparations now," Scott told Australian Associated Press. "The big message is that people need to stay indoors once those strong winds start.""People should be making their final preparations now," Scott told Australian Associated Press. "The big message is that people need to stay indoors once those strong winds start."
Residents of Cooktown, a town of 2,300 people that was last hit by a cyclone in 1949, said strong gusts had already picked up on Friday morning.Residents of Cooktown, a town of 2,300 people that was last hit by a cyclone in 1949, said strong gusts had already picked up on Friday morning.
“You’ve got people who have never been through a cyclone before, and they’re a bit excited. But I’ve been through a lot of cyclones, and you don’t want to be going through them,” Gail Cowe, a resident, said.“You’ve got people who have never been through a cyclone before, and they’re a bit excited. But I’ve been through a lot of cyclones, and you don’t want to be going through them,” Gail Cowe, a resident, said.
She fears some of the older buildings in Cooktown might not withstand the forecast winds of up to 300km/h. “People are starting to realise that this can cause a lot of damage. Lots of people left town this morning, got their family out of here. And everyone who can is up at the evacuation centre.”She fears some of the older buildings in Cooktown might not withstand the forecast winds of up to 300km/h. “People are starting to realise that this can cause a lot of damage. Lots of people left town this morning, got their family out of here. And everyone who can is up at the evacuation centre.”
The Queensland premier, Campbell Newman, cut short his trade trip to Asia and spent Thursday in Cooktown overseeing preparations. He urged residents of Cooktown homes built before 1985 to go to their local cyclone shelter or head to Hope Vale's multi-purpose centre. The Queensland premier, Campbell Newman, cut short his trade trip to Asia and spent Thursday in Cooktown overseeing preparations. He urged residents of low-lying areas as far south as Cairns to be ready to evacuate should Ita suddenly change course. He warned the cyclone could produce storm surges up to two metres high, but said: "At this stage that is only a very small percentage possibility."
"I urge people who are evacuating to make sure they grab all their ... vital personal effects; things like passports, birth certificates,” he told the ABC. "That they charge their mobile phone, they switch off the applications, that they take medications, food and water and make sure that they can look after themselves for a few days in the place they're seeking refuge." Newman told a news conference in Cairns on Friday that cyclone shelters in the two towns in the path of the cyclone, Hope Vale and Cooktown, were still open and had plenty of room.
Storm surges, coinciding with a high tide, were “a big concern”. “People need to prepare for a storm surge, which means in low-lying areas water much higher potentially than normal tides, potentially a metre-and-a-half higher than the highest tide you would normally ever see," Newman said. Residents of these towns should be prepared for cuts in phone services and power outages that could last as long as four weeks, he said. Disaster recovery officials had formulated plans to house people, "assuming a large number of houses are rendered uninhabitable".
"That could be all the way down the coast through Cooktown to places like Port Douglas. That's the worst-case scenario at this time. He said all the possible preparations had been made. "It's not in our hands. It's in the hands of the gods."
"But the other big concern of course will be the normal high winds that can cause debris flying around, which people need to prepare for.” Newman also warned of “very intense rain causing quite severe local flooding”. "We could see hundreds of millimetres of rain in certain catchments. Fast-rising rivers and creeks and also the problems in some suburban areas, potentially as far south as Cairns," he said.
Newman also warned of “very intense rain causing quite severe local flooding”.
"We could see hundreds of millimetres of rain in certain catchments. Fast-rising rivers and creeks and also the problems in some suburban areas, potentially as far south as Cairns," he said.
A spokesman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it had “no immediate concerns” for a number of commercial vessels, including an oil tanker and two cruise ships, in the path of the cyclone.A spokesman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it had “no immediate concerns” for a number of commercial vessels, including an oil tanker and two cruise ships, in the path of the cyclone.
Though the eye of the storm is expected to focus on a remote, sparsely populated stretch of the Queensland coast, the Bureau of Meteorology warned that destructive winds of up to 125km/h, or faster, could extend as far south as Port Douglas on Friday, and onto Cairns and Innisfail on Saturday.Though the eye of the storm is expected to focus on a remote, sparsely populated stretch of the Queensland coast, the Bureau of Meteorology warned that destructive winds of up to 125km/h, or faster, could extend as far south as Port Douglas on Friday, and onto Cairns and Innisfail on Saturday.
“The cyclone is expected to be weakening over land overnight, however, there remains the possibility that Ita will track southwards close to the coast tonight and maintain cyclone intensity for longer during Saturday,” it said.“The cyclone is expected to be weakening over land overnight, however, there remains the possibility that Ita will track southwards close to the coast tonight and maintain cyclone intensity for longer during Saturday,” it said.
“Should this occur destructive winds with wind gusts to 150km/h are possible at Port Douglas and Cairns during Saturday.”“Should this occur destructive winds with wind gusts to 150km/h are possible at Port Douglas and Cairns during Saturday.”
Heavy rain and the risk of flash flooding will persist into the weekend, the bureau said.Heavy rain and the risk of flash flooding will persist into the weekend, the bureau said.
A cyclone watch extends to the far inland communities of Laura, Kalinga, Palmerville, Mareeba and Chillagoe.A cyclone watch extends to the far inland communities of Laura, Kalinga, Palmerville, Mareeba and Chillagoe.