Damage widespread as cyclone moves inland
Cyclone Larry has lashed far north Queensland, creating widespread damage. ABC TV
There is widespread damage across far north Queensland as cyclone Larry moves inland after crossing the coast this morning.
Gale force winds have uprooted trees, lifted roofs of houses and flattened crops.
Larry's eye has passed over Innisfail, south of Cairns and the winds are intensifying again.
Many homes in the community of Kurramine Beach, south-east of Innisfail, have been severely damaged.
Yvonne Cavey from the local motel said she cannot see a tree left standing in the town.
"There's two houses behind the motel, what we can see, the sheds are gone and the house on our left is only a shell," she said.
Innisfail motel owner Amanda Fitzpatrick said it looked like an atomic bomb had gone off.
"I live across the road from the river that had huge big trees, they've all just been uprooted and flattened," she said.
"It looks like something has just gone through and cut down everything - just ripped things out of the ground, it's just flattened".
Millions of dollars worth of crops like cane, banana and pawpaw, have been wiped out.
Murdering Point cane farmer Alf Strano said he expected to lose his entire crop.
"It's terrible actually just looking out the window," he said.
"It's as flat as, it couldn't get any flatter."
Larry is now heading west inland.
Queensland's Emergency Services Minister Pat Purcell said the Prime Minister has pledged every assistance in the face of the cyclone.
He said the military is on stand-by, including Blackhawk helicopters based at Hughenden.
"We're going to have a fly-over of some F-111s up and down the coast to get some pictures ... as soon as the rain passes and we can see and then we'll make a decision on where we go with the Blackhawks and what assets we move back in there," he said.
Greg Connor from the Bureau of Meteorology's Townsville office said although the cyclone had been downgraded it was still not safe for residents to go outside.
"The cyclone has reduced to a category four and we do expect it to weaken a bit further during the day as it moves westward towards the Tablelands," he said.
"It's still a dangerous situation, it's still a strong cyclone and there's some heavy rain coming into the region."
Premier Peter Beattie was warned that the worst of the cyclone may be yet to come.
Mr Beattie, who is in north Queensland for a Cabinet meeting, said the Bruce Highway has also been cut in parts.
However, Mr Beattie said more damage was expected as the heavy winds buffet the coast.
Residents
Innisfail resident David Quinlan said the winds had started to pick up again.
"I'm in the hallway with mattresses on top of me and the kids," he said.
"Just had the roof rip off ... I'm a bit concerned but what can you do?
"Just get the kids, make sure they're safe and hope nothing comes through the roof."
Cairns resident Christine Howes said although they were on the edge of cyclone Larry, they had only just started to feel the effects of the winds this morning.
"It's a little bit deceptive where we are because we're on the northern side of a hill and we've been protected for most of the night but it's swung around a bit now," she said.
"We've had a look out the front once or twice and ... most of the trees along the street seem to be stripped and there's just debris everywhere.
"We've been listening to the radio and there are reports all over Cairns of people driving around and having a look at things which is just unbelieveable.
"And they're doing things like driving onto private property to go around trees which are on the road."
Samantha from Mourilyan, near Innisfail, said the side had blown off her house and she was now sheltering next door with her parents.
"You just sort of wait for something to hit the house and everyone braces," she said.
"My mum has my son underneath the bed, we have mattresses covered all over them and my dad is holding one of the windows shut - that's the room that they're in."
Category 5 Cyclone (Hurricane) Hits Australia
I just had a report from a man in Australia who said this one missed him - but there is another one coming on its tail. Sounds like Kitrina/Rita. Sure hope this isn't a preview of our coming summer.
Claire
Not a single death or serious injury reported :). Now THAT is good emergency preparedness!!!
From the Chicago Sun-Sentinal yesterday:
INNISFAIL, Australia -- After their town was torn apart by a terrifying cyclone -- amazingly without loss of life -- the people of Innisfail responded with a most Australian of gatherings: a barbie.
Butchers and restaurant owners in the town offered up food to survivors on Tuesday rather than see it rot in refrigerators warming in the tropical heat after the storm cut electricity.
More than 1,000 residents turned out at Tuesday's barbecue to munch on donated lamb chops, steaks and sausages amid twisted metal roofing sheets and palms trees stripped bare.
The barbecue reflected a determination to make the best of things in the town of 8,000 people Tuesday, a day after Cyclone Larry -- which blew at 180 mph and was more powerful than Hurricane Katrina -- lifted the roofs off scores of homes and devastated hundreds of square miles of sugar cane and banana crops
No one was killed when the tempest struck early Monday and only minor injuries were reported. But officials estimated that thousands were left homeless.
By this morning, heavy rains had resumed, causing local flooding, preventing equipment like generators reaching Innisfail and drenching hundreds of troops sent to the area to restore power, water and sewerage systems
Sounds like they have the same resilience that you Floridians have Pati. :)
LOL, lilypon. When the hurricane path is forecast you can smell food cooking all over the neighborhood!! Then, afterwards we cooked what was left and shared. You get some really strange combinations, especially if you live in an ethnically mixed neighborhood as I did in Miami. My favorite still remains the Cuban food. YUMMMMM!
Pati
Mmmmmmmmmmm I can just imagine........and now I can hardly wait til the BBQ season starts up here again. Only, unfortunately I won't be treated to all those wonderful smells. :(
Hey yes I will Ü ........ Motif (our outdoor multi-cultural celebration) will be doing that in the park (in a few more months. Feeling a *little* less green now. ;)