North Queensland has been slammed by ‘catastrophic’ floods this week with residents now being urged to prepare for a cyclone.
Severe storm activity in the gulf and Coral Sea region could develop into a more offensive front, the Bureau of Meteorology reported on Saturday.
‘Certainly with that kind of activity and the time of year, there’s certainly a possibility that one or both of those areas… could develop into a tropical cyclone,’ meteorologist Julian De Morton told Nine News.
Severe storm activity in the gulf and Coral Sea region could develop into a more offensive front, the Bureau of Meteorology reported on Saturday
Even if an extreme weather system doesn’t develop, Mr Morton said, the area could still face a further soaking
‘At this point it’s a low risk of a cyclone forming but we will be closely monitoring the situation,’ BoM confirmed to Daily Mail Australian on Saturday night
Even if an extreme weather system doesn’t develop, Mr Morton said, the area could still face a further soaking.
‘At this point it’s a low risk of a cyclone forming but we will be closely monitoring the situation,’ BoM confirmed to Daily Mail Australian on Saturday night.
Previously there was little worry about a cyclone forming around the ravaged site.
The Bureau confirmed the tropical cyclone currently in the Coral Sea was not likely to have any effect on Queensland, and that chances are low of a cyclone forming off of the low pressure system in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
‘(Tropical Cyclone Hola) is expected to take a more southerly track during the day and track back to the south-east at the moment,’ BoM forecaster Sam Campbell said on Friday
It comes just a day after the state’s north was declared a ‘disaster’ by the government and a ‘catastrophe’ by the Insurance Council of Australia
‘(Tropical Cyclone Hola) is expected to take a more southerly track during the day and track back to the south-east at the moment and it’s not expected to have any impact on the Queensland coast,’ BoM forecaster Sam Campbell said on Friday.
It comes just a day after the state’s north was declared a ‘disaster’ by the government and a ‘catastrophe’ by the Insurance Council of Australia.
ICA CEO Rob Whelan said by labelling the natural disaster as a ‘catastrophe’ insurers were now able to prioritise claims from people affected by floods and storm-related damage.
More than 200 homes in Ingham have been badly affected by the storm and a number of community members in nearby Innisfail told to evacuate.
ICA CEO Rob Whelan said by labelling the natural disaster as a ‘catastrophe’ insurers were now able to prioritise claims from people affected by floods and storm-related damage
More than 200 homes in Ingham have been badly affected by the storm and a number of community members in nearby Innisfail told to evacuate
Up to their knees! The rain is beginning to ease in the region
On Sunday Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will travel to flood-affected regions
Police are also coordinating a rescue mission for a group of 72 year six students and eight teachers from the Willows State School in Townsville.
Deputy Commissioner Bob Gee, the Queensland Police state emergency coordinator, said the school group could be there for ‘some time’ as medical and food supplies were flown in on Friday evening.
He said he could not predict an exact day they could be rescued but said they were happy the group had enough supplies for 48 hours.
Three children were airlifted to Cairns on Saturday with gastro after a doctor and two nurses flew in to check on them.
Children from The Willows State School in Townsville were cut off by the flooding in North Queensland
Pictures posted by the school’s Facebook page on Thursday showed children involved in team building exercises at the camp
The group were staying on a school camp trip at the Echo Creek adventure park before the rains came on Thursday leaving them stranded when the road between Townsville and Cairns was closed.
Deputy Commissioner Gee said: ‘We’re waiting on a break in the weather. We have no doubt they have enough supplies.
‘It will be some time before we can get all those children out safely.’
On Sunday Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will travel to flood-affected regions.
She said the full extent of the damage would not be known for weeks, but that flooding would have a detrimental impact on banana and sugar cane crops, and the aquaculture industry.
‘We will get the full assessments over the next few weeks about the impact on the economy and I think everyone should spare a thought for the farmers who are going to feel a huge impact,’ she said.