military mobilises to help cycloneravaged australian region
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

As the military mobilised to help with the clean-up.

Military mobilises to help cyclone-ravaged Australian region

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today Military mobilises to help cyclone-ravaged Australian region

A vessel sits on the rocks after running aground near the Whitsunday Islands
Queensland - ArabToday

Towns remained cut off in northern Australia Wednesday after being pummelled by a powerful cyclone that washed battered yachts ashore and ripped roofs off houses, as the military mobilised to help with the clean-up.

The category four storm slammed into the coast of Queensland state between Bowen and Airlie Beach on Tuesday afternoon, packing destructive winds and devastating some of the region's tourist hotspots.

It has since been downgraded to a tropical low but the Bureau of Meteorology still warned of damaging wind gusts with "intense" rain, sparking flooding fears as river levels rise.

"This rainfall is likely to lead to major river flooding over a broad area this week," it said.

Some areas have been drenched in "a phenomenal" 1,000 millimetres (39 inches) of rain in just 48 hours -- the equivalent of half a year's worth, according to the weather bureau.

Roads to the towns of Bowen, Airlie Beach and Proserpine were inaccessible, with more than 60,000 homes without power and communications down in many areas. But no deaths were reported and only one significant injury -- a man crushed by a collapsing wall.

Emergency crews began assessing the damage but blocked roads and flash flooding hampered efforts, as soldiers, military helicopters and planes started deploying to help restore infrastructure and supply emergency food, water and fuel.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk flew by helicopter to Bowen, which bore much of the brunt, and said mass evacuations helped save lives.

Tens of thousands of people moved to higher ground or cyclone shelters or left the region before Cyclone Debbie made landfall.

"Thankfully the extent of the damage here is not as widespread as we first anticipated, but of course there are lots of trees down... we've seen the impact of roofs being blown off people's houses," she said.

The premier was due to head to the town of Proserpine where "we expect there to be some more widespread damage".

- 'Worst 24 hours' -

Dawn broke on scenes of devastation.

Pictures posted on social media showed a light plane flipped upside down, yachts washed ashore, power poles down and trees fallen on houses.

Whitsunday Regional Council mayor Andrew Willcox described Bowen as "like a war zone".

"This beautiful seaside town is now half-wrecked but we will rebuild," he told Channel Nine television.

In the mining town of Collinsville, residents said the storm was emotionally draining, with winds raging for hours as they cowered inside.

"I'm shattered emotionally and physically. I've gone through the worst 24 hours I've experienced in my 53 years," a local identified only as Julie told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Wind gusts of up to 270 kph (167 miles) were reported near Debbie's broad core.

On a brighter note, a baby girl was born at an ambulance station on the Whitsunday islands as the storm raged outside.

"You know, out of all of this, to see a little miracle, I think brings a smile to a lot of faces," said Palaszczuk.

- Debbie 'a catastrophe' -

Great Barrier Reef islands popular with foreign tourists were among the worst hit.

Daydream Island Resort said it sustained significant damage, including to its jetty and accommodation wings.

"Conditions were extreme with heavy rainfall and strong wind gusts causing damage to the resort and surrounds," it said in a statement, adding that all guests had been accounted for but fresh water was running out.

Having lived through cyclones before, many people were prepared and boarded up homes after being warned to expect the worst weather in the state since Cyclone Yasi in 2011, which ripped houses from their foundations and devastated crops.

Yasi, which struck less populated areas, caused damage estimated at Aus$1.4 billion. Debbie has officially been declared a catastrophe by the Insurance Council of Australia, allowing claims from the disaster to be prioritised.

source: AFP

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

military mobilises to help cycloneravaged australian region military mobilises to help cycloneravaged australian region



GMT 08:40 2013 Saturday ,02 February

Saladin

GMT 19:26 2017 Sunday ,29 January

UK Government Criticizes US Refugee Ban

GMT 21:58 2011 Wednesday ,17 August

UN withdraws \"non-essential\" staff from Syria

GMT 17:49 2011 Monday ,08 August

Chain reaction: US markets open with loss

GMT 10:25 2011 Monday ,01 August

\'Alarming\' rise in pregnant women strokes

GMT 19:01 2011 Tuesday ,19 April

Leaders pledge aid to complete Chernobyl shelter

GMT 10:24 2017 Wednesday ,12 April

Japanese skater Asada bows out with 'no regrets'

GMT 20:22 2011 Friday ,15 April

Typhoon jets used for first time in Libya

GMT 19:49 2011 Saturday ,06 August

Qatari Diar edges closer in Olympic Village move

GMT 11:22 2017 Monday ,23 January

US pop star defends explosive anti-Trump speech

GMT 17:32 2017 Thursday ,14 December

UN mediator on Syria 'undermined' by his Putin appeal

GMT 12:08 2012 Monday ,09 January

Sony enters BBC TV fold

GMT 11:14 2017 Wednesday ,11 January

Brawn v. brains, looks v. loyalty

GMT 08:39 2016 Thursday ,29 December

The Experience That Shocked My Thoughts Into Words

GMT 01:45 2012 Friday ,24 August

10 ways to live like honeymooners

GMT 16:17 2016 Friday ,12 August

Libyan forces capture Sirte complex from Daesh men

GMT 13:07 2015 Thursday ,15 October

2015 becomes worst US wildfire year on record

GMT 03:06 2016 Friday ,01 July

Decades of design on display

GMT 18:49 2017 Saturday ,04 March

Jordan executes 15 convicts, including 10 suicides

GMT 23:36 2015 Monday ,15 June

2 die, new corona case in Saudi Arabia

GMT 06:19 2011 Wednesday ,21 September

12 workers killed, scores missing from India Quake
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday