General Chat

Hi AnninGlos.

This Cyclone "Yasi" will be the largest and most ferocious that Queensland has ever experienced on record.
In fact Australia itself ,has never seen anything this size.

It's width runs from up as far as Cooktown and further, right down the East coast to Mackay.

More than 500km wide, ( half the size of Britain ) with the eye of the Cyclone being approx 100km across.

Can only hope and pray for no deaths, but i have this terrible feeling.

Thoughts and prayers for all.


Tony

Those poor people, my thoughts are with them.

No repreive for Queensland.

Cyclone Anthony hits Queensland.

Second cyclone "YASI" to arrive on Thursday, and its massive.

"Estimated to hit landfall between 10:0pm and Midnight " - Wednesday evening.

Satellite View:
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/sohemi/sohemiloops/shirgmscol.html



The last cyclone of that magnitude to hit Queensland was category four Cyclone Larry.
Larry left a trail of destruction including damage to 10,000 homes and a repair bill of more than a billion dollars.

Up to 10,000 homes without power.

"YASI" to arrive on Thursday.

This severe cyclone expected to hit Queensland on Thursday is likely to rival, and on some measures, dwarf Cyclone Larry, which devastated parts of north Queensland.

Bureau senior forecaster Ann Farrell said the latest modelling suggested Yasi would make landfall somewhere between Innisfail, in the north, and Proserpine, in the south.

If it hits as a category three, wind gusts up to 200km/h can be expected, and 250km/h if it builds to a four, as Cyclone Larry was when it devastated Innisfail and surrounding communities in March 2006.

"By that stage we will be looking at a severe tropical cyclone so certainly at least a (category) three, and a category four we wouldn't be ruling that out by any means." Ms Farrell told AAP.


Latest reports say Cyclone Yasi has now been upgraded to category 5.

Unlike Anthony, which weakened into a low pressure system after crossing land, Yasi is expected to menace Queensland as a strong cyclone even after crossing the coast, the Courier Mail reports.

Queensland's Bureau of Meteorology says it's likely to cross the north coast either on Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

The bureau's senior forecaster Gordon Banks said Yasi would be big and intense, bringing destructive winds and heavy rain across the state.

He said like January's devastating floods, Yasi will most likely be a state event.

"It's going to affect a much larger area (than ex-cyclone Anthony) both with rainfall and wind and because of its size and strength, it's likely to persist as a cyclone even after it crosses land," Mr Banks told ABC Radio.

"It's developing strongly near Vanuatu and we don't expect it to lose too much strength as it moves towards the coast," Mr Banks said.

"If it is as strong as the models suggest, category three or better, heavy rain could potentially affect the interior on Friday, Saturday and Sunday."

Meanwhile the cleanup is on after cyclone Anthony hit parts of the Queensland coast.

Fallen branches and other debris littered Bowen's CBD this morning but the north Queensland coastal town appears to have endured the destructive winds of Tropical Cyclone Anthony relatively well.

A calm had descended on the town - a light breeze and mostly clear sky providing a stark contrast to the events of the night before.

Anthony battered the north Queensland coast overnight, bringing with it wind gusts of up to 150km an hour and heavy rain as it crossed the coast near Bowen around 10pm (AEST).

Storm chaser Nit Sopoulos said it was "like hanging your head out of a car at 100 km/h except it's happening to your whole body. You have to really fight not to get blown over".

The category two cyclone tore branches from trees and brought down powerlines, leaving about 10,000 homes without power.

Electricity was still cut to most of central Bowen early this morning but supply to many areas was uninterrupted.

However, the town appeared to have avoided major structural damage and was spared the threat of serious flooding because the storm hit at low tide.

The weather bureau said that Anthony had weakened into a tropical low as it moved further inland but issued a separate severe weather warning for damaging wind gusts and heavy rain, reaching up to 200mm in 24 hours in some areas.

Flood warnings remain for rivers and streams between Townsville and Mackay and the Pioneer River, with Townsville and Mackay preemptively declared disaster areas to allow emergency crews evacuate homes if needed.


The bureau expects Yasi to survive as a cyclone over the interior of Queensland until the weekend.

Last night Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Lyn McLaughlin said residents there had stocked up on torches, batteries and water.

"The biggest threat are trees coming down on powerlines," she told AAP. "We'd encourage people to be prepared for that."

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the storms were "another big, cruel blow coming on top of what has been a summer of tragedy already".

"After the summer that's been can any more cruel blows actually land?"

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said that the emergency services were prepared.

"We are not battle weary, we are battle ready and our highly trained people are well rested and ready to respond," she said.

Same year I was at Halls Gap.

We went from Melbourne to Adelaide in 2007 and saw a lot of where there had been fires. The most boring stretch of road was going from Mt Gambier up through Naracoorte - where we saw the caves - and then that really awful stretch through to the Murray Bridge.

We have been following all flood reports - we are so fond of the places it really saddens us to see the devastation.

Persie

Persie

yes, there are some wonderful places on that list

We were at Hall's Gap in 2006 on the way from Bendigo to Adelaide ..... and were absolutely amazed at how the gum trees regenerate after a major fire


Just been reading reports in the Melbourne Age on-line



sylvia

Been thinking of all in places that are flooded, and hope there will be no more lives lost.

So much else on tv news that this situation gets shoved off the page.

Lizx

Some of those places are wonderful aren't they Sylvia. I think I have been to nearly everyone of them.
I see the flood reports have included Benalla and Myrtleford, that's a fair stretch from Echuca across to Myrtleford.

We just couldn't believe it when we heard that Echuca was flooded.

I was worried when I saw Kyneton on the list - we stopped at a delightful antique place which is downstairs below street level.

Bonnie Doon was bone dry when we were there. It is just so hard to comprehend that this has all happened so quickly.

Take care Tony

Persie

Thank you Tony


as you say, the ground is now so hard that there is no way for all the rain to sink into it.


In 2006, my friend in Mudgee said they had not had rain for 8 years.

Hi Sylvia.

The Yarra River burst its banks on Friday as the heavy rain caused flash flooding across Melbourne.
I think what we are experiencing around the eastern part of the County is a total drenching so fast and quick, it is catching folk unaware. The droughts over the years has made the grounds so compact and hard, there is no time for the water to sink into the soil. Thousands of Rivers and streams around the Country all running into each other at some point and at alarming rates causing an almighty gush of water...hence an "Inland Tsunami or "Flash flooding"....racing towards towns and communities.

Most of the flash flooding was in the North sector of Melbourne.

Melbourne's north were warned their homes may be flooded as the Maribyrnong River also rose with recent heavy rainfall. Mainly a precaution with all that's been going on.

Victoria Police said a number of cars were inundated in Kensington, while many other city roads were failing to cope with the intense deluge.

Roads were also flooded in some areas of South Melbourne, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Research, Tarneit and Maribyrnong.

My own local area approx 25kms from Melb CBD ( Outer Melbourne ) had some minor flooding, but nothing life threatening. A few road closures.

Vic-Roads is calling on residents in the areas to be aware of the road closures and avoid unnecessary travel.


Its a beautiful sunny day in and around Melbourne, warm sunshine and blue skies,( 33c ) and if one didn't know what was going on in the rest of the Country further north....you could be forgiven.

Further North in Victoria ( approx 200 - 300km ) its a completely different story.

Strangely.....this time of the year for Victorians and southern states we are preparing for "Bush Fire" season!!!
A complete turn around?

Tony

Thank you Tony

I have just heard from someone who lives near the Murray, in the Echuca region, that they were bracing for a BIG flood


I have been to so many of those places that you list in Victoria



How is Melbourne doing?



sylvia

Thank you Tony...good to know! x

Hi Mau.

The Queensland Sunshine Coast, and the Gold Coast, have not been affected by the recent floods.

Just an update for my own state of Victoria, and for those O/seas that may have friends and/or family in this state.

Dozens of Victorian towns are preparing for record-breaking flood peaks, after communities were swamped by swollen rivers yesterday.

So far 13,000 properties across Victoria have been flooded and 3,000 people have been forced to abandon their homes.

34 towns plus, have been affected by the floods, and authorities say it is the worst flooding to hit northern and north-western Victoria since records began.

A summer's worth of rain had fallen in a period of five days with up to 200 millimetres in some parts of the state.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who has been comforting Queensland flood victims, said she was "very concerned" about people battling massive flooding in Victoria and was expected to visit the area on Monday.

Maryborough received 222mm, Inglewood near Bendigo 216mm, Kyneton 263mm and the Wimmera community of Jeparit copped 161mm in a 24-hour period.

"The flooding is far worse than we experienced in September with four to five times the number of properties impacted," Mr Parkyn said.

More than 1000 properties and in excess of 3000 people in the north to north-west of Victoria have been affected so far with up to 8000 properties losing power.

About 400 properties at Charlton in north central Victoria have been flooded and much of the town evacuated.


Victoria Flood Warning Summary,
Flood Warning - Maribyrnong River,
Flood Warning - Yarra River,
Flood Warning - Dandenong,
Flood Warning - Werribee River,
Flood Warning - Barwon River,
Flood Warning - Hopkins River,
Flood Warning - Glenelg River,
Flood Warning - Kiewa River,
Flood Warning - Ovens and King Rivers,
Flood Warning - Broken River,
Flood warning for Seven Creeks / Castle Creek,
Flood Warning - Goulburn River,
Flood Warning - Campaspe River,
Flood Warning - Loddon River,
Flood Warning - Avoca River,
Flood Warning - Wimmera River,
Flood Warning - Murray River,


Major Flood Warning for the Avoca River
Major Flood Warning for the Loddon River
Major Flood Warning for the Wimmera River
Major Flood Warning for the Campaspe River Downstream of Lake Eppalock.

Some Towns affected by floods
Kyneton
Charlton
Donald
Beaufort
Great Western
Rupanyup
Rochester
Carrisbrook
Echuca
Boort
Creswick
Clunes
Halls Gap
Wedderburn
St Arnaud
Birchip
Wycheproof
Skipton

NEW SOUTH WALES

More than 7000 people remain isolated in northern NSW from devastating floodwaters that have begun to ease.


Tasmania recorded some of its heaviest rainfall, and also receiving the brunt of this last cyclone.

Residents of Wynyard, Railton and Chudleigh in the northwest were evacuated, and several homes flooded.
The banks of Blackwood Creek burst, which isolated parts of Bracknell, south of Launceston.

A dam breached at Castra, near Devonport, forcing the evacuation of a number of low-lying homes nearby, Ms Sherman said.

Elsewhere, a tourist was stranded when a bridge was washed out at Meander Falls, near Deloraine.

Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett, who will tour flood-affected regions tomorrow, said the Queensland floods put the situation in Tasmania into perspective.

"While I know it is having a big impact on families, businesses and communities, it is nowhere near the scale and the scope of the Queensland tragedy," he said.

"Having said that, we are dealing with some serious flooding."

Thanks Tony
I do hope our friends are away on holiday,that is as long as it's somewhere safe. They have sons who live on the Gold Coast,but don't know much about that area.

Mau

My OH and I were talking about the affect it will have on the tourism industry. It is big bikkies up in Queensland.

The Kiwis will still turn up no doubt about that. For quite a few of them here it is the only part of OZ they go to.

Also many go up to Norfolk Island for a few days of R & R... There are a lot of Bounty descendants over here that have places in Norfolk. I would like to go to Lord Howe Island, it looks absolutely lovely so am hoping it stays safe.

Tasmania looks like it hasn't suffered too much - Deloraine is a favourite spot of ours, we always stay at the same pub there. My OH keeps up with the play in Tasmania - reads extracts from the Mercury on line most days.

Take care

Persie

Tony, thanks for your very concise eview of what is happening in Queensland. I feel much better informed now, and wish I could be there to help the recovery.

Hi Mau.

Hope all is o'k with your friends.
They may be away perhaps. Its still holiday season over here, and many businesses and work places are still shut down around the Country, and families are still away. Our kids are still on Christmas holiday break in many states, and not due back till the end of January. Christmas School holidays last for about 5 - 6 weeks over here.

Tony

Hi Perse.

Its not over by a long shot.

Cyclone season has only just begun for our state of Queensland......and what a vengence it has started with.

Tis the price we pay for being Australian,mate

Hurricane Vania has been forming about 650 kilometres north-east of Townsville,but looks like
tracking away from the coast. But the Bureau of Meteorology yesterday warned the state could expect to see above average cyclone activity until the end of March

This recent Cyclone has flooded three-quarters of the state, reduced its capital to a muddy swamp, forced tens of thousands of people out of their homes, left as many without power, water and food, and punched a $20 billion hole in the economy.

Australia has many inhabited islands that a lot of folk are not aware of, and Norfolk Island you mentioned is one of many. If my Geography is correct there are approx 8200 islands among Australian states and territories, which the state of Queensland has about 1,950 of them.....all tropical.

South Stradbroke Island, which until 1890s was adjoined to North Stradbroke Island, although a storm did split the islands in two.
Bishop Island, Eden Island, Fishermans Island, Green Island, Karragarra Island, King Island, Lamb Island, Macleay Island, Mud Island, Peel Island, Russell Island,St Helena Island, Moreton Island,Fraser Island,Lady Elliot Island, Curtis Island, Great Keppel Island, Heron Island, North Keppel Island, Lady Musgrave Island, North West Island, Tryon island, Wilson Island...........Bribie Island which was cut of from mainland Australia during this latest floods....all popular tourist destinations.

Then you have the Whitsunday Island.( Great Barrier Reef )off Queensland.
Whitsundays include about 74 different islands. Several of the islands include Border Island, Daydream Island, Hamilton Island, Harold Island, Haslewood Island, Hayman Island, Henning Island, Hook Island, Lindeman Island, Long Island, Maber Island, Mansell Island, North Molle Island, Pentecoast Island, Planton Island, Shaw Island, South Molle Island, South Repulse Island, Tancred Island,Thomas Island and Whitsunday Island....to name a few, and many we have spent time on over our life time.

We have friends on Bribie, Russell and Hamilton Islands which are all safe,thank goodness.


Yesterday,these recent floods hit NSW, Tasmania and Victoria, where the Yarra burst its banks, flooding parts of Melbourne, so we are getting a small share also.


We had booked last year to spend our up coming holidays in March to Queensland, as we do each year. So hopefully our small injection of the Aussie dollar will be well spent in our Queensland state. The worst possible thing they need now is for peeps to stay away. Tourism bring jobs for the many.

Hi Tony
I feel so so sorry for the families involved,really horrific stories coming through, my heart goes out to them all.

We've still not heard from friends (have rang constantly they don't have internet)...ironically other friends who live in Byford,nr Perth are experiencing quite the opposite,with a drought and bush fires,which they say were started deliberately.

Thanks for the update
Mau x

Hasn't been too good in some parts of Victoria either Tony.

Had word from one of my relatives he has been away in Sydney - and had to go back to his home in Brisbane.

I have got quite a few rellies in the Gold Coast area ... well I guess we would eh with over 150,000 New Zealanders living up there.

To think when I was over there last the Murray was practically dry.

I see NZ had also sent over rescue teams to help as they did with the fires.

It seems to be everywhere Brazil with all their landslides and flooding and loss of lives. Sri Lanka - over 80,000 have evacuated their homes.

Now Hurricane Vania is moving south from New Caledonia - heading towards Norfolk Island though I think it is more wind than rain.

I would hate to be on some of those small islands out in the Pacific you never know what is going to happen next. One of the Islands is eroding fairly quickly as it is.

Persie

Its all so awful :o((

My continued thoughts go out to all those affected x