Cyclone Marcia causes widespread damage in mid-north Queensland – the day's events
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Version 0 of 1. 6.04pm AEST07:04 Biloela braces for cyclone Marcia We’ll wrap up our live cyclone coverage here, as Marcia heads towards the rural town of Biloela, where residents are sandbagging in preparation. Updated at 6.05pm AEST 5.33pm AEST06:33 Meanwhile, in Lam news: #BREAKING: Cyclone Lam has been downgraded to a Category One system moving southwest after crossing the coast as a Category 4 this morning. Updated at 5.34pm AEST 5.25pm AEST06:25 Oh no. #TCmarcia my house in Yeppoon is fine but beer fridge is stuffed pic.twitter.com/wGUhTGhsuU 5.19pm AEST06:19 Cyclone passes over Yeppoon and Rockhampton So to recap, Marcia has passed over Yeppoon and Rockhampton, and there have been no reports of injuries. But people are being urged to stay indoors, with powerlines down and heavy structural damage in those areas. Emergency crews are moving in to assess the damage, with the main roads to Yeppoon now open. Meanwhile, the rural town of Biloela is bracing for the cyclone, which is expected to be a high category 2 or low category 3 by the time it hits there this evening. According to the Coffs Coast Advocate, the cyclone watch area includes Double Island Point in the south to Shoalwater Bay in the north, extending inland to Duaringa, Moura, Biloela, Monto, and Mundubbera. St Lawrence is no longer part of the warning zone. Meanwhile, the Red Cross has volunteers standing by in Northern NSW, from Tweed Heads to Nambucca, where flooding is possible over the coming days. Updated at 5.26pm AEST 5.03pm AEST06:03 Some images of Marcia’s trail of destruction: #Marcia Storm latest @ 5 Street signs ripped out of ground & power lines down We'll be crossing live to Yeppoon. pic.twitter.com/g1Ca2iRVjd Damaged boats sprawled across Yeppoon lawn after TC Marcia. Image: Oz Cyclone Chasers. #TCMarcia #9News pic.twitter.com/JKyYRSgpoS Sad scenes here in #Yeppoon... #TCMarcia sure did a lot of damage. @channeltennews pic.twitter.com/puZO1wq1uQ 4.41pm AEST05:41 The premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has just given a press conference. There has been significant damage in Yeppoon and Rockhampton as a result of tropical cyclone Marcia that has passed over,” she said. “We have reports of severe structural damage in Yeppoon and we understand that the surf club may have lost its roof, but we do know homes have had structural damage and we need to assess this structural damage. The biggest issue we have now at the moment is in relation to powerlines. She urged families in Yeppoon and Rockhampton to stay inside given the powerlines were posing a significant safety risk. However, there had been no reports of injuries in the area, she said. With roads now reopening to Yeppoon, emergency crews would begin moving in this evening to assess damage, and residents should remain inside while they did so, Palaszczuk said. A Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said Biloela was next in Marcia’s path. It was expected to hit there tonight. That area can expect to see an increase in winds as the system approaches,” he said. “We are still looking at low-end category 3 or high-end category 2 in that region.” Updated at 4.52pm AEST 4.35pm AEST05:35 That notwithstanding, the Insurance Council of Australia has just declared tropical cyclone Marcia a catastrophe: “Damage reports for Yepoon and Rockhampton remain undefined, however government agencies on the ground are reporting that ‘significant’ damage has occurred. “Intense rainfall is also expected to continue as STC Marcia degrades to a tropical low in coming hours. “Rainfall forecasts are extreme for some regions through to the Queensland border, rainfall forecasts for the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales are also significant. “To support government response to this event, as well as any insurance issues that may emerge, Catastrophe Event 152 has been declared by the ICA.” The ICA has activated an industry hotline: 1800 734 621 Updated at 4.35pm AEST 4.31pm AEST05:31 Mike Sopinski, a spokesman for Queensland’s second largest home insurer RACQ, has just told me that claim numbers to date seem low, although they’re of course expected to rise. As of 3pm AEST, RACQ had received 67 home claims and 9 motor vehicle claims. 4.29pm AEST05:29 The Bangkok Post has described the effect of Cyclone Lam and Cyclone Marcia as being “a cyclone sandwich” smashing northern Australia. The Post interviewed Yeppoon resident John McGrath, who watched as the roof of a nearby home flew through the air and landed across the road. “As long as our roof holds together, I think we’ll be OK,” he said from his home located about 100m from the beach. Although the cyclone is weakening, conditions are still dangerous with mean wind strengths at the cyclone at about 120km/h, the ABC reported. 4.18pm AEST05:18 Brisbane Lord Mayor, Graham Quirk, has just held a press conference, where reporters kept asking him to predict what may happen as Marcia travels. I can’t say definitely that we won’t have two-to-three hours of intense, heavy rainfall tomorrow,” he said. “If you get sandbags and they’re not needed, well at least [you] were prepared and ready.” Updated at 4.48pm AEST 4.08pm AEST05:08 The damage to the Yeppoon house in the first of this series of ABC pictures is the worst seen from Marcia so far - entire roof and three walls missing. 4.04pm AEST05:04 Corrugated iron a common casualty of Marcia, as illustrated by this video tweeted by Channel Nine’s Joel “not very” Dry. Sadly this is what many homes & businesses have suffered in Rockhampton from #TCMarcia #9news pic.twitter.com/FRtatSlpHq 4.04pm AEST05:04 The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service has asked for patience as they deal with calls for help. They’ve received more than 2,600 requests for assistance in the last 24 hours. The Service says they have more than 740 fire and rescue personnel, 11,500 royal fire service volunteers, 380 auxiliary firefighters and 1,300 state emergency service volunteers ready to respond in the wake of Marcia. Meanwhile the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland says they’ve received more than 620 calls for emergency towing, including for flooded cars. They also have some sage advice: When there's water over the rd, don't cross. When there's waves over the rd, stay home. #TCMarcia #RACQ @ddouglas888 pic.twitter.com/ucTYcDmbre Updated at 4.05pm AEST 3.56pm AEST04:56 Iron roofs lifted, peeled open like cans; holes punched in tiled roofs: SBS reporter Stefan Armbruster surveys the damage in Yeppoon in Marcia’s wake. #TCMarcia damage in Yeppoon. #CycloneMarcia @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/kvW5MeHIwx 3.53pm AEST04:53 Volunteers have been busy relocating loggerhead turtle eggs in Marcia’s path on Mon Repos beach, near Bundaberg, the ABC reports. The turtles are endangered, with successful hatching and nesting at Mon Repos crucial to their survival. Rangers & volunteers relocate #loggerhead turtle nests from Mon Repos Beach Bundaberg before arrival of #TCMarcia pic.twitter.com/wtAxyAL6KX Updated at 3.57pm AEST 3.51pm AEST04:51 A measure of how seriously Brisbane residents take the prospect of flooding by prolonged rainfall: journalist Debra Bela snapped this pic of cars queueing to get sandbags in Newmarket in the city’s inner north. The queue for sandbags at Newmarket SES this afternoon @612brisbane #bigwet #TCMarcia pic.twitter.com/xyclSXSEOD 3.25pm AEST04:25 With reports of widespread damage wrought by Marcia on the Capricorn coast around Yeppoon and Rockhampton - roofs uplifted, powerlines and trees blown down - farmers are concerned the cyclone is tracking inland towards cropping country. #Marcia path now appears headed toward Dawson/Callide, North Burnett. Cotton, citrus, dairy, grazing, grain and other crops in these regions 3.22pm AEST04:22 The weather bureau in its latest update has Marcia still at a category three with sustained winds of 150km hr and gusts of up to 205 km/hr. It is “slowly weakening” while moving south at 19 km / hr. Its core, which remains “very destructive”, was located about 5 km south southwest of Rockhampton and 90 km west northwest of Gladstone. 3.09pm AEST04:09 Updated at 3.36pm AEST 3.07pm AEST04:07 One Rockhampton resident puts his rod to good use on Wackford St, a few blocks from the Fitzroy River. Fishing in wackford street? #TCMarcia #Rockhampton pic.twitter.com/FPbuJVqW2w 2.45pm AEST03:45 Wags interstate have cottoned on to Nine News Brisbane reporter Joel Dry’s delightfully incongruous moniker It's taken @9NewsAUS a while, but they've finally challenged 'Amy Parks at AAMI Park' with this one. #TCMarcia pic.twitter.com/AQykvaoIUb 2.41pm AEST03:41 2.27pm AEST03:27 Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has reminded holidaymakers that all the Glitter Strip’s beautiful beaches are closed. “All those people who want to celebrate great surf, stay away. Don’t swim in the water for next day.” The peak of the storm for Gold Coasters will be late tonight, Tate said. 2.21pm AEST03:21 Some video from ABC on that Yeppoon lift rescue. Two women have been freed from an elevator in #Yeppoon during #TCMarcia. https://t.co/LTGAXn7rJA http://t.co/IcWTgfr6Nh Updated at 2.42pm AEST 2.16pm AEST03:16 Updated at 2.18pm AEST 2.09pm AEST03:09 Summary of the cyclone situation 1.47pm AEST02:47 Here's #TCMarcia and #TCLam crossing the coast, as captured by JMA satellites pic.twitter.com/oRsVDxdMSC State Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner, Peter Jeffrey, told the ABC that although Marcia was now downgraded to a category 4, this did not represent a significant reduction in the risk to people. “People are still bunkered down safe in Yepoon and are waiting for the effects of the cyclone to pass through,” he said. Meanwhile, the The University of the Sunshine Coast [USC] has closed due to the severe weather associated with the cyclone. “A decision on when to re-open the University will be made once the severe weather system has passed,” a spokesman said. 1.20pm AEST02:20 If you’re in Rockhampton, cancel that afternoon stroll/trip to the shops. If you’re a Brisbane Roar fan, maybe put the scarf and shirt away. DC Gollschewski says Rockhampton residents need to be inside. It's not over yet. Emergency services in lockdown. BREAKING | Tonight's @ALeague match v @gomvfc at @suncorpstadium has been postponed: http://t.co/01aPwzpjMA #GoRoar pic.twitter.com/HnXorb4tVS 1.13pm AEST02:13 People need to batten down any loose items they may have in their properties. If we do get those 90kmph winds the last thing we want to see is projectiles. Loose items from around the yard can become life threatening once airborne. Updated at 2.07pm AEST 1.12pm AEST02:12 Drama within a drama. AAP’s Nathan Paull observed this effort to free people inside an elevator after the power dropped out in Yeppoon. Effort to free 2 ppl from lift in #yeppoon during #TCMarcia. One free, one to go. pic.twitter.com/Dc9sIioVU7 12.45pm AEST01:45 Looks like a Leopard tree down in Yeppoon. Hopefully that house roof is OK. At least it didn’t get the neighbours’ cars. #yeppoon #tcmarcia pic.twitter.com/LLFeR9jnNO Updated at 1.08pm AEST 12.37pm AEST01:37 Visual proof of what Stefan Armbruster from SBS was just telling us about wind forcing water through his closed glass doors in Yeppoon: Wind forcing water through glass doors. It's gonna get messy in Yeppoon. #TCMarcia #CycloneMarcia @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/580JfVb5XC 12.31pm AEST01:31 Take a step back and consider Marcia and Lam from this visually stimulating, planetary perspective. Updated at 12.39pm AEST 12.30pm AEST01:30 Like the pic caption says, just a bit of flooding. Crosby Hill Road in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Updated at 1.08pm AEST 12.28pm AEST01:28 Overflowing dams bring back traumatic memories for us south-east Queenslanders after 2011. Now this off the wire: “Eight dams in south-east Queensland are overflowing due to heavy rain from Cyclone Marcia. Four dams on the Sunshine Coast, three in the greater Brisbane area and one on the Gold Coast are over capacity, according to Seqwater. But fear not, maroon lovers. A Seqwater spokeswoman said overflowing dams were normal during heavy rain and advised residents downstream to take the usual precautions, such as avoiding driving through floods. Seqwater does not expect to release water from Wivenhoe Dam, but there is a slight possibility it will have to if rainfall reaches the maximum 500mm that has been predicted. “A judgment will be made over the coming 24, 48 hours,” the spokeswoman said. “If a gate release is required ... depending on the amount of water that is released, there may be some roads or low-lying bridges affected.” Ok, so we’ll consider that class action lawsuit, um, water under the bridge for now and trust in our water authorities. Updated at 1.09pm AEST 12.22pm AEST01:22 I’ve just spoken to SBS’s Stefan Armbruster, who is in Yeppoon where Marcia is “blasting through”. “There are houses gone, down on the foreshore ... the power’s now out completely,” Armbruster says. “I’ve got water pissing into my (hotel) room through the window. The wind is forcing the water through into my room, literally pushing it vertically into my room. I’ve got a huge puddle of water forming. It’s intense. My first category five.” Just to be clear, Armbruster’s window is closed. Updated at 1.10pm AEST 12.11pm AEST01:11 Natural disasters have given Queensland politicians key platforms to display their leadership qualities in recent years. Both Anna Bligh and her successor as state premier, Campbell Newman – then as Brisbane Lord Mayor – both attracted widespread praise for their public performances during the disastrous 2011 south-east Queensland floods. Would it be too cynical to suggest this is a point not lost on Annastacia Palaszczuk, who has been in government for a matter of days? Perhaps. But it could be what ABC radio host Steve Austin was getting at when he repeatedly questioned the strong language she was using around Marcia ... Updated at 1.10pm AEST 12.03pm AEST01:03 Marcia has just been downgraded to a category four cyclone but the weather bureau still warns of “very destructive winds still expected near the centre”. Updated at 12.05pm AEST 11.57am AEST00:57 More from Jenna Hudson and those residents of Great Keppel Island, where the tourist slogan in a sad irony, famously once went: “Get Wrecked” More photos from Great Keppel island residents as #TCMarcia rolls in. Stay safe! @ACurrentAffair9 @9NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/O5bM9husu6 11.56am AEST00:56 Channel Nine’s Jenna Hudson has a resident’s picture of beachfront homes crumbling into the sea as the tide washes banks away. Residents pic: Part of a home has broken off into ocean at Great Keppel @ACurrentAffair9 @9NewsBrisbane #TCMarcia pic.twitter.com/jVkW460k01 Updated at 1.16pm AEST 11.54am AEST00:54 In a move likely to outrage Lord Monckton, Guardian Australia’s esteemed journalist specialising in environmental matters, Oliver Milman, has pointed out that those conspiratorial types at CSIRO and the weather bureau cite a climate change aspect to latter day cyclones … Worth bearing in mind that CSIRO and BoM say cyclones may be stronger/move further south due to climate change http://t.co/Vw5gtplpFo Updated at 12.06pm AEST 11.50am AEST00:50 ABC radio reports that Royal Caribbean, the cruise ship owner, has said the ship is on course to arrive in Cairns on Sunday just a few hours late. 11.49am AEST00:49 A cruise ship, the Rhapsody of the Seas, is currently navigating the waters off the central Queensland coast right under cyclone Marcia. @RoyalCaribbean my sister and family are on Rhapsody Of The Seas please can you let us know an update we are really worried. Updated at 12.29pm AEST 11.44am AEST00:44 And here’s the latest warning from the NT weather bureau: Severe Weather Warning issued for the Daly, Tiwi, Arnhem and Carpentaria forecast districts. http://t.co/vWcJg36lwi pic.twitter.com/2HEY4puCpw 11.42am AEST00:42 Good news from the Northern Territory, where police and emergency services have issued a release saying they were aware of no deaths (human) or major injuries as a result of cyclone Lam to date. “Overnight, communities at Elcho Island, Milingimbi, Galiwinku, Maningrida and Ramingining were in the storm’s direct path. Police have re-established contact with local incident controllers and there have been no reports received of major injuries or fatalities.” Still, Lam has made a real mess at Galiwinku on Elcho Island, with “initial reports of widespread damage”. Commander Bruce Porter said that it is important residents remain indoors until the all-clear is given. “Local police are the incident controllers, and they will be assessing the conditions on the ground before the all-clear is given,” Commander Porter said. Residents in Bulman, Groote Eylandt, Port Roper and Numbulwar are advised that now is the time to make final preparations to shelter. 11.31am AEST00:31 A more serious blow for sports fans than the prospect that the Aussie cricket team has to train indoor today - the A-League game tonight between Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory has been postponed due to safety concerns. Football Federation Australia took advice from the state government and police and emergency authorities. It has yet to decide on a new date for the Suncorp Stadium match showdown. Updated at 11.49am AEST 11.24am AEST00:24 The “very destructive” core of cyclone Marcia is moving south at 21 km/hr, says the weather bureau in its last update. Updated at 11.40am AEST 11.21am AEST00:21 Palaszczuk is back on ABC saying Yeppoon and surrounds is her current sole focus of concern. The coastal town is in lockdown and the core of Marcia is about to pass through within the hour. Palaszczuk says 600 people in Yeppoon’s cyclone shelter will sit it out. “It is going to be an absolutely terrifying experience over the next few hours... probably one of the worst ordeals of their life.” 11.18am AEST00:18 Meanwhile in the Northern Territory, folks are out and about already braving the tail end of cyclone Lam to check out the damage. The single reported death to date in the remote community of Ramingining is a dog, according to this report off the wire: “The people of Ramingining are already out and about checking on cyclone damage to their homes despite warnings that Cyclone Lam is not over yet. No one has so far been reported injured in the remote Northern Territory community, with the only recorded fatality being a dog, said clinic manager Rhona Golsby-Smith. Early on Friday morning the rain was easing and the sky was clearing after a long night, she said. The storm crossed the mainland coast between Milingimbi and Elcho Island around 2am (CST) and passed right over the town, where more than 900 people were sheltering. “Everyone’s safe, that’s the main thing,” she told AAP. “There’s tree damage, fence damage, power lines are down, there are roofs with trees on them, but no major damage to houses. I’ve got a coconut tree on my roof.” Ms Golsby-Smith said a mahogany tree went down in front of her on Thursday night, taking out the community’s power, but they still have water supply and phone reception. “I don’t think we realised we would be right in the centre of it, when we were tracking it yesterday it kept changing direction, and then when we realised it was coming, it was `oh my goodness’,” she said. There was a lull for about an hour as the eye passed over the community a little after 3am, she said. But the wind gusts were fearsome: “A few times I was thinking, `something’s got to go here’. “There were winds of 200km/h and we felt every last bit of that and more,” Ms Golsby-Smith said. 11.01am AEST00:01 Some have expressed alarm at the prospect of heavy rains at the Mt Morgan mine near Rockhampton - Australia’s largest abandoned mine - sending acidic water out into the Dee River and straight onto the Great Barrier Reef. With Unesco just months away from meeting to decide whether the reef is listed as “in danger”, a flooded Mt Morgan mine would be absolutely the last thing the new state government would want. To wit, mining minister Anthony Lynham issued a media release on Thursday saying his department’s abandoned mines unit had “worked hard to prepare the mine site for expected rainfall totals of 200-300mm”. “I am advised the site is well prepared to cope and we will keep the Mount Morgan community and stakeholder groups fully informed about the situation,” he said.“The current water level in the former mine’s open cut pit is nearly 1.75 metres below the spillway. This provides sufficient capacity to contain approximately 800 mm of steady rain.” Lynham went on to say there were “existing contingency plans that allowed, if necessary, a controlled release of pit water where environmental conditions were right”. “The Mount Morgan Mine Site Contingency Plan allows for a controlled water release if there are sufficient water flows in the Dee River and appropriate pH levels to significantly dilute pit water and minimise any environmental impacts downstream.“A Dee River Alert Notification would be issued to downstream landholders and relevant stakeholders prior to any controlled release of pit water.” The full statement is here. Updated at 11.06am AEST 10.50am AEST23:50 Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said his “thoughts and prayers” are with the people of Rockhampton and Gladstone. 10.45am AEST23:45 Back to SBS’s Armbruster, cops on the Yeppoon beat have made their last crawl to order the “rubber neckers” away. Police patrolling Yeppoon foreshore telling last storm rubber necks to get inside #TCMarcia #CycloneMarcia @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/vyDXwQ7ZBy 10.44am AEST23:44 The Courier-Mail’s Greg Stolz says things are getting wild in Yeppoon. It's getting wild in Yeppoon now #TCMarcia pic.twitter.com/V6mbarA5Zu 10.40am AEST23:40 SBS’s Stefan Armbruster snapped this crazy brave would-be surfer dipping his toes at the beach at Yeppoon before the eye of Marcia was due to hit. Swell looks a little disappointing anyhow. Some like it rough ... Or maybe not. Surfing Yeppoon in #TCMarcia #CycloneMarcia @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/PwSQQrohQK 10.29am AEST23:29 Vivid weather bureau imagery of Cyclone Lam heading inland at the Top End. Latest RGB composite image of Category 3 #CycloneLam as it tracks inland. Thanks @NOAASatellites and JMA. pic.twitter.com/2be1Fr9TDN 10.17am AEST23:17 Repeated warnings that emergency services personnel will be off the road and unable to help anyone while the very destructive winds at Marcia’s core pass over the central Queensland coast near Yeppoon. 10.12am AEST23:12 ABC TV reporter Marlina Whop is keeping a respectful distance from the sea spray and looming storm surge whipped up by cyclone Marcia. Yeppoon #tcmarcia storm surge threat worsens pic.twitter.com/U8jFktyqUV 9.59am AEST22:59 Ok, a possible celebrity twist to Cyclone Marcia has been raised by News.com, which is reporting that fans of One Direction fear the boy band’s members Louis and Zayn might be caught holidaying on Hamilton Island. Fears One Direction have been caugh in #TCMarcia Cyclone http://t.co/U18MFHnePb pic.twitter.com/qJ9DFuBE13 9.44am AEST22:44 Palaszczuk says she has called prime minister Tony Abbott and is waiting for him to call back. “We will need federal assistance,” she says, referring to the expected destructive impact of winds of up to 285km/hr. Updated at 10.11am AEST 9.42am AEST22:42 ABC’s Steve Austin has told Palaszczuk he is “surprised by the strong language you and the police commissioner are using”. (Palaszczuk has predicted a “harrowing and terrifying” experience, while comissioner Ian Stewart has said Marcia will be “a calamity’.) Palaszczuk replied, “We are concerned”, saying the cyclone would hit populated areas and “families’ lives are at risk”. Updated at 11.11am AEST 9.39am AEST22:39 Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is telling ABC radio that the tidal surge around central Queensland coast will be 2.6m higher than usual because of Marcia. “We are talking a massive tidal surge in these areas”. But authorities will try to halt any movements from people in the area “in the next hour or so”. Updated at 9.40am AEST 9.37am AEST22:37 Channel 7’s Chris Campey is in Yeppoon, which is expected to feel the full brunt of Cyclone Marcia very shortly. He’s posted this video LIVE through the morning, keeping you updated from #Yeppoon as squalls get stronger. #TCMarcia @7NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/MGoTPWYip4 Around 870 homes in the town have been evacuated ahead of the storm’s arrival. Updated at 9.37am AEST 9.19am AEST22:19 Authorities say it’s now too late for the 30,000 Queenslanders in the direct path of this category-five storm to evacuate, AAP reports. The core of the cyclone is now starting to affect parts of the central Queensland coast, with the town of Yeppoon to feel the full brunt of its winds and its destructive storm surge, which could destroy low-lying homes. Marcia is packing winds gusting to 285km/h, a force that’s expected to destroy older homes in the area that have not been built to modern cyclone standards. At about 7.45am (AEST), the cyclone was less than 100km from Yeppoon. State Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner Peter Jeffrey says the time for preparations has passed. “It’s time to essentially brace, make safe for yourself, and make safe for your family,” he told the Nine Network. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the 30,000 people who live in Yeppoon and surrounding communities are most at risk. But the threat extends to a vast swathe of the coast, with a 2.6-metre storm surge expected on top of the normal high tide level. Rockhampton, south of Yeppoon, is also in the firing line with Marcia still expected to be a strong category three cyclone when it hits there, after tracking south over land. “We are talking about severe damage here,” Ms Palaszczuk told reporters on Friday morning. “Over the next few hours many thousands of Queenslanders are about to go through a harrowing and terrifying experience and I want those people to know that we are with you every step of the way. We will be standing by your side.” Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the situation was desperate. “This is going to be a calamity there is no doubt about that,” he said. “Even our emergency services personnel will be withdrawing and they will be going to places of safety so that they are ready as soon as the eye has passed, as soon as the danger has passed, to assist member of the public.” Updated at 9.20am AEST 9.01am AEST22:01 A startling image out of the Met Office: Cyclone Marcia making landfall. #CycloneMarcia has made landfall over Townshend Island, Queensland Australia. First visible image of the day. pic.twitter.com/2q7yhuBF7o Meanwhile Cyclone Lam, which is advancing over the Northern Territory, has been downgraded to a category 3. It is expected to weaken as it moves inland. Updated at 9.01am AEST 8.58am AEST21:58 Missing fishermen found alive Here’s good news: the two fishermen who went missing off Fraser Island have been found safe. Fishermen reported missing near Fraser Island have been found safe http://t.co/uWaaO0LyAs The release: Hervey Bay Water Police and the Coast Guard have located the two men reported missing in the waters of the Great Sandy Strait. The men, aged 38 and 39, one from Maryborough and one from Brisbane, were found safe and well in waters at the Northern End of Moonboom. The Great Sandy Strait is a 70 kilometre sand passage separating the Queensland mainland from Fraser Island. It extends from Tin Can Bay to Hervey Bay. There is no further information known at this stage. 8.35am AEST21:35 Updated at 9.39am AEST 8.34am AEST21:34 A story on the wire about about how Marcia’s quick transformation took weather experts by surprise: “Cyclone Marcia’s rapid jump from a category one tiddler to a category five monster has surprised Bureau of Meteorology experts, a senior forecaster says. On Thursday morning, Marcia was a weak category one system which was forecast to reach category two before it hit the Capricornia coast in Queensland. But by 5pm, Marcia had intensified rapidly to category four - the same intensity as Cyclone Tracy, which flattened Darwin in 1974. Marcia strengthened to category five before it crossing the coast Friday morning. It’s not one of the three most powerful cyclones to hit the Queensland coast in the past century, although it is equal in intensity to cyclone Yasi, which devastated north Queensland in 2011. Compared to Yasi, Marcia’s physical size is much smaller, Bureau of Meteorology national weather centre senior forecaster Jenny Sturrock said. Yasi was one of the largest cyclones ever to hit the coast in terms of physical size, but smaller storms like Marcia can change rapidly. “It’s very difficult to predict how a smaller cyclone can intensify,” Sturrock told AAP. “The smaller ones can undertake a very rapid intensification, and that can make them very difficult to predict. “That’s why we have always been stressing to the local community to keep abreast with the latest information at all times. “Sometimes with those smaller systems, the atmospheric conditions can be more on a local scale rather than a broader scale to favour development.” Marcia’s rapid intensification was exceptional, which was a surprise for BOM forecasters. “It’s quite a remarkable upgrade,” Sturrock said. “I was on yesterday and we saw the upgrades coming through late yesterday afternoon. Obviously the priority is then to make sure all the warnings are updated as soon as possible.” Updated at 8.38am AEST 8.32am AEST21:32 .@BOM_Qld has advised that #TCMarcia is 60km in width, travelling at 15 - 20km/h, with wind gusts of up to 245km/h in the eye of the cyclone 8.30am AEST21:30 Brian Cox, the director of Queensland’s disaster management authority, tells ABC that just as people in Yeppoon and Rockhampton are bracing for Marcia’s impact, residents of Brisbane should prepare for flash floods. Rainfall of up to 300mm in some places over the next 24 hours, lost of expected road closures. Alice St in the centre of Brisbane’s CBD is already partly flooded. 8.18am AEST21:18 Latest update from the weather bureau: “The VERY DESTRUCTIVE CORE of severe tropical cyclone Marcia, with gusts to 285 km/h, is crossing the Capricorn coast near Shoalwater Bay.” 8.17am AEST21:17 In the Northern Territory, tropical cyclone Lam made landfall overnight. Here’s the latest on the situation from the agencies - as day approaches we are likely to get more information about the severity of the situation. At 5am (local time), the weather bureau’s latest update said Lam was moving inland, just south of Ramingining. The BoM estimated the cyclone to be 40km south of Milingimbi and 80km southwest of Galiwinku. It was moving southwest at 9km/h, with Ramingining experiencing wind gusts of more than 250km/h. “The very destructive core of Lam is now impacting the coast and adjacent inland areas between Milingimbi and Elcho Island, including Ramingining,” the BoM said. The cyclone was “expected to continue moving southwest and weaken today as it moves further inland over Arnhem Land”. “Very destructive winds” of more than 230km/h would continue near Milingimbi and Ramingining, before moving inland and weakening on Friday morning. Gales with winds up to 110km/h would continue to develop between Maningrida and Nhulunbuy on Friday morning, BoM said, before possibly extending to areas between Goulburn Island and Cape Shield on Friday morning. The bureau said gales were forecast for further inland to Bulman and possibly south to Groote Eylandt and Port Roper on Friday afternoon. Coastal residents between Milingimbi and Nhulunbuy, including Elcho Island, are also being warned of a “very dangerous storm tide as the cyclone centre approaches the coast”. NT police say residents on Elcho Island, Milingimbi, Gapuwiyak and Ramingining should stay indoors due to the extreme weather. Updated at 8.22am AEST 8.16am AEST21:16 On a less serious note, ABC reports that the Australian cricket team, in Brisbane for a match against Bangladesh scheduled tomorrow, may be forced to train indoors because of the rain. Looking outside the window, that seems a safe bet. 8.12am AEST21:12 Search for two missing fishermen An AAP report on those two missing men, the most serious incident to date: “A dramatic search is playing out for two fishermen missing off Fraser Island, in the cyclone warning area. Police say the men, both aged in their 30s, sent a text message to a relative on Thursday morning saying their boat had sunk.But for whatever reason the alert wasn’t raised with police until Thursday afternoon.An initial search on Thursday found nothing and has resumed early on Friday.A break in conditions has allowed a chopper to get up, and the water police and coast guard are also on their way to the search area, near the Moon Boom island groups in the Sandy Straits off Fraser Island.” 8.10am AEST21:10 Warning to those who will be in eye of the storm in about an hour's time Palaszczuk’s warning to residents in Yeppoon and Rockhampton who remain in their homes: “We want you to stay in your homes. Please do not leave your homes this morning. Do not go outside under any circumstances. Go to the strongest part of your house, which is usually the bathroom area. Make sure your children are with you and your children are safe. Take pillows, take mattresses. Your safety is now paramount. ” 8.01am AEST21:01 SEQ Water’s Mike Foster tells ABC radio that dams in southeast Queensland - which were a factor in the major floods in Brisbane and surrounds in 2011 - are currently well prepared to accommodate the heaviest rains even in “the worst case scenario”. 7.58am AEST20:58 BOM says biggest rainfalls overnight have been on the Sunshine Coast, where areas like the hinterland behind Caloundra saw 110mm. 7.56am AEST20:56 So the gravest warnings have been squarely aimed at people around Yeppoon on the central Queensland coast. NOAA satellites has tweeted this infrared imagery of Marcia as it approached the coast several hours ago. VIIRS infrared imagery from @NASANPP of Tropical Cyclone #Marcia as it approaches the eastern coast of Australia. pic.twitter.com/6CBhxzuntA Updated at 7.59am AEST 7.55am AEST20:55 Updated at 9.45am AEST 7.53am AEST20:53 Police commissioner Ian Stewart: “the key message is we have a small window of time to do our final checks.” Calls on people to comply with emergency directions to evacuate. Also to be mindful of the age of the houses or buildings they are in when considering their safety. 7.51am AEST20:51 Palaszczuk: two fishermen near Fraser island are missing, search underway 7.50am AEST20:50 Palaszczuk: All schools around Yeppoon closed but hospitals there and in Rockhampton remain open. 7.49am AEST20:49 7.48am AEST20:48 Police commissioner Ian Stewart “This is going to be a calamity, there is absolutely no doubt about that.” 7.48am AEST20:48 Palaszczuk: Once it passes over Yeppoon, it is expected to reach Rockhampton as a category three storm Updated at 8.11am AEST 7.45am AEST20:45 Palaszczuk says people in that key coastal area around Yeppoon should stay inside, the bathroom being the safest place to shelter. 7.42am AEST20:42 Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk addresses the media Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is addressing the media: “We need everyone to be safe during this period of time … We are now very concerned with people’s safety, very concerned.” 870 homes impacted in low lying areas. 170 people in evacuation shelter in Yeppoon, just south of the expected crossing point for Marcia. Width of the cyclone is 70km/hr. A message to residents in central Queensland: “You need to take action now. Do not leave it any longer. Your safety now is paramount.” Updated at 8.03am AEST 7.34am AEST20:34 ABC radio is reporting that police and emergency services have been door knocking in central Queensland coastal areas and ordering people to evacuate. In the town of St Lawrence, residents who were bunkering down in the local bowls club were relocated, amid fears the club wasn’t as safe as hoped, to another shelter near Sarina. 7.34am AEST20:34 Good morning, this is Josh Robertson in Brisbane. I’ll be taking you through the blow by blow as tropical cyclone Marcia makes landfall in Queensland. As of less than half an hour ago, Marcia was described by the bureau of meteorology as a category five storm that was due to hit the coast between St Lawrence and Hervey Bay in the next few hours. Marcia’s core has windgusts of up to 285 km/hr, with sustained winds of 205 km/hr - certainly capable of downing trees, powerlines or lifting corrugated iron roofs. Authorities are warning in particular of abnormally high tides and storm surges in coastal areas and widespread flash flooding with dumping rains of up to 300mm expected over 24 hrs. Meanwhile, tropical cyclone Lam crossed on to the mainland as a category four storm at around 4am. Police said that around a thousand people had been affected, but that it was still too early – and too dark – to assess the extent of the damage. Updated at 7.38am AEST |