Storm News and Natural Disasters

Tropical Cyclone Yasi has edged closer to the Townsville region this morning. With wind gusts of 295km/h Yasi has attained category five status with models suggesting conditions are ripe for even further intensification prior to making landfall near Innisfail at this stage. Powerful life threatening winds in excess of 300km/h will make this tropical cyclone the most powerful in recent years. Category five cyclones have been reported off the Western Australian north west coast but with a much greater population density, the most critical threats are for storm surges in low lying areas. Much of Queensland’s centres such as Townsville and Mackay have been built on flood plains making them vulnerable to storm surge threats and flooding.

As if Queensland has not had enough disasters, Tropical Cyclone Yasi is intendifying as it heads west towards the Queensland coastline – currently category 3 and organising into a large circulation in the Coral Sea.

Shortly after a Tropical Cyclone Bianca hit Western Australia, Tropical Cyclone Anthony hit the region near Bowen packing winds of 130km/h and causing extensive flooding with flood warnings extending from Mackay and Townsville.

Meanwhile, yet another tropical cyclone Yasi is anticipated to hit the Queensland coast later in the week in perhaps the first season to produce above average number of tropical cyclones in years. This is most likely related to a very strong La Nina phase and above average sea surface temperatures in the Coral Sea.