SueC Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 One of my girls lives in Cairns and the Cyclone is heading that way. Her suburb has already been told to evacuate. her friends have felped move all her belongings to the most central room in her very old house that is just 100 metres from the beach. They have made a big pile and tied it up tight - in the middle of the lounge. http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/02/01/147281_cyclone.html 30,000 ordered to evacuate as Cairns prepares for Cyclone Yasi Daniel Strudwick Tuesday, February 1, 2011 © The Cairns Post THOUSANDS of people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in Machans Beach, Holloways Beach, Yorkeys Knob, Port Douglas, Bramston Beach and the CBD. 18:00 Update: Residents must be out of their homes by 8am tomorrow and are advised to find shelter with friends or family. As a last resort for people without alternative accommodation temporary evacuation centres are being set up. Live cyclone updates: twitter.com/cairnsnews Premier Anna Bligh said severe cyclone Yasi – which intensified from a tropical low to a category 3 system and is predicted to rise to at least a category 4 or 5 – posed a “very serious threat.” Severe tropical cyclone Yasi is on track for a direct hit on Cairns, forecasters say. But with the cyclone not expected to make landfall until about 1am (AEST) on Thursday, that could still change. Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Ann Farrell said the latest modelling showed a direct hit on Cairns was one of the more likely scenarios. The latest tracking map, issued at 5pm (AEST), marks out the range of possible landfall sites, from as far north as Cooktown to as far south as Townsville. It features a central track which Ms Farrell said was ""One of the more likely tracks" - a line taking Yasi directly into Cairns. The grey zone around that central track shows the spread of possible tracks it could take," she explains. "The further you get away (from that central track) the less likely the possibility.`` At about 5pm (AEST), Yasi was a category four storm situated about 1020km east, northeast of Cairns moving westward at about 34km/h. "It's continuing to intensify,`` Ms Farrell said. She said Yasi was still expected to be a category four, with winds gusts of 250km/h or greater, when it made landfall but a category five could not be ruled out. "It is possible it could reach category five intensity and that would push winds up to around the 300km/h mark.`` Ms Farrell said there were too many variables at play yet to say how big the storm surge would be, including the level of the tide, and the shape of the coastline. But if the cyclone came in around Cairns it would be some hours after the high tide there at 9pm (AEST) on Wednesday night. "The area that tends to get the peak of that surge is to the south of the landfall site," she said. "That's where the winds are pushing in towards the coast." She said the bureau was updating its advice every three hours, and as time ticked away forecasters should get a much more precise handle on what Yasi was likely to do. She urged people looking at the bureau`s maps not to look simply at the eye of the cyclone, but at the broader rings which showed the spread of gale force winds. "From tomorrow morning those winds will be experienced initially on the outer islands ... And progressively throughout the day, as it approaches, then various parts of the coast will start to feel that impact during the day tomorrow." 30,000 ordered to evacuate as Cairns prepares for Cyclone Yasi THOUSANDS of people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in Machans Beach, Holloways Beach, Yorkeys Knob, Port Douglas, Bramston Beach and the CBD. View Comments Atherton Tablelands prepares for cyclone Yasi Milked dry, Tablelands dairy industry fears impact of cheap generic milk brands Cairns Council says some residents may need to evacuate before Cyclone Yasi Monster Tropical Cyclone Yasi a very, very serious threat Solved: The riddle of the double-yolk crocodile egg Cairns' economy a slow road to recovery Link to comment
Amishway Homesteaders Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Hope things work out for her and she is safe. Keep us posted on how things go. What a busy weather time we all are having. and most of it is NOT the norm? Link to comment
Christy Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Oh Sue, hope your DD and all other people in that area will be safe. Link to comment
themartianchick Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Sending prayers your way... It is always scary when we feel that our children are in harm's way. Link to comment
SueC Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 This morning the cyclone has been upgraded and is now a Cat 5. DD is not that hopeful of still having a house to return to. The house is close to the the expected path. she is in town but hopefully in a better building. Link to comment
MomM Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 (((SueC))) will keep your DD and her friends and all who are in the path of the storm in our prayers. Link to comment
SueC Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 a day of changes. DD evacuated last night to the Salvo homeless shelter, which was evacuated today to a high school a bit further in from the coast. The last I heard she was 'ordered' to leave the evacuation centre and go to the home of the Salvo Major. They are really looking after her! the other DD that is in the area is staying put south of the expected destructive path, but will still get big winds and rain. Just praying they stay safe Link to comment
Cat Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Thank God there are people thinking ahead of the storm who can get things done. One of the biggest problems with our Katrina was that there was a mindset of "It can't happen here". And then it was too little action, too late... by the ones in control. Everything I've seen compares this storm to Katrina's destruction. I pray that people are kept safe and that, should it prove to be so terrible, recovery is fast. Keep us posted. I know your Mother's heart is concerned. Link to comment
themartianchick Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Still praying for your daughters... It does sound as though all proactive measures are being taken. I saw a news report about it this morning on either NBC or CNN...It did look eerily Katrina-esque. The difference is that the peopel are getting out and recognizing that things are just...things! Lives are far more important. Link to comment
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