A cyclone such as this one is not welcome news.
Australians are anxiously scanning weather reports today in the hope that the Christmas Eve disaster of 1974 doesn’t repeat itself.
Tropical Cyclone Laurence has already caused havoc with gas and oil rigs off the northwest coast of Australia and is now threatening to cause chaos on land. Although the Bureau of Meteorology do say that it may well weaken as it hits land, before strengthening again when it goes back out to sea.
In 1974 it was Cyclone Tracey which ravaged Darwin, leaving many people dead and almost 70% of the city in ruins. Cyclone Laurence is not expected to be as extreme as that and has already been downgraded to a category one storm as it heads towards the town of Broome in Kimberley.
However wind gusts have already reached 110km per hour over the north Kimberley coast and winds of up to 130km per hour may hit Troughton Island tomorrow along with heavy rain.
The Met Bureau said that the Cyclone will; “re-intensify as it moves over open water during the weekend.” It has already caused mass evacuations of gas and mining rigs this week, including 220 workers on the Koolan Island which will not now resume mining until early next week.
Other operations affected by the Cyclone were the HWE Mining Ptd Ltd on Cockatoo Island and Karoon Gas Australia who have a rig off the northwest coast.
November to April is typically ‘Cyclone Season’ in Australia and already the Met Bureau are predicting that Northwestern Australia will be hit by at least six before the season is over. Cyclone warnings are now in place for Cockatoo Island to Wyndham. Yellow and blue alerts asking people to prepare and get ready for the storm are also in place in coastal areas of Northwest Australia.
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One Response to “Northwest Australia on Cyclone Watch”
Comment by Wet and Weary — December 20, 2009 @ 9:42 am
Cyclones changing direction is not extraordinary. What is extraordinary is the untimely government warnings allowed to the public. Next thing we will hear is its caused by Global warming, but Global warming is a red herring perpetrated by government radicals with their own agenda. All emergency services should be on standby for this, but its Christmas and towns along the coast need the tourist dollar. It rained for weeks after cyclone Tracey so this may ease drought conditions. Baton down the hatches, plan for the worst, and hope for the best.