Hamilton Islanders stranded as all aircraft and ferries are cancelled.
Queensland is on a cyclone watch today as tropical cyclone Ului, currently raging at around 155 kilometres per hour, heads towards the north Queensland coast.
Australia’s Dalrymple Bay coal terminal has ceased operations and may decide to evacuate staff as the weather worsens. All shipments and rail lines in the area have been closed.
Macarthur Coal Ltd have also been affected as they were forced to declare a ‘force majeure’ on operations, which means that deliveries will be missed or delayed because of forces beyond their control. Macarthur Coal is the world’s biggest exporter of pulverised coal and one of the biggest employers in Queensland.
The cyclone is currently about 500 miles northeast of Mackay and is headed towards the Whitsunday Islands, the Met Office are predicting that the storm will arrive inland on Sunday. The coastal areas from Ayr to Yeppoon are on a full warning whilst areas north of Ayr and further inland are on a cyclone watch.
The effects of the cyclone however are expected to be felt as early as tonight as the storm begins to whip up the waves around the coast. Many beaches have already been closed as a precaution and the Whitsunday resorts are hastily battening down the hatches.
The authorities are taking the risks seriously; a State Disaster Management meeting was held yesterday and the Minister for Emergency Services, Neil Roberts, confirmed that flooding was a major risk and that “frantic” preparations were being undertaken.
Travel arrangements in the region have been thrown into chaos as Jetstar and Virgin cancelled flights into Hamilton Island and many ferry companies have done the same, stranding some travellers on the surrounding islands. Airlie Beach, Bowen and Proserpine shops have reported a shortage of essential supplies such as bottled water and bread as shoppers stock up in panic buys.
The cyclone has already claimed one life as teenager Saxon Bird, 19, was pulled from rough waters churned up by the cyclone. Mr Bird was competing in the under 19s Ironman event. The weather around the Gold Coast has been bad since Tuesday but conditions brought on by the impending cyclone have been gradually getting worse and the decision to go ahead with the event will now be looked at closely.
The Australian Met Office is predicting heavy rainfall and flooding between Bowen and St Lawrence early on Sunday with dangerous surf conditions along most of the Queensland coast. Updates on the cyclone can be found on the Met Office website.
Other related articles:
- Queensland Assesses Damage of Cyclone Ului - Cyclone Ului weaves path of destruction through Queensland....
- Northwest Australia on Cyclone Watch - Cyclone Laurence is expected to hit parts of Northwest Australia...
- Australians Missing After Cyclone Tomas Hits Fiji - Twelve Australians are unaccounted for after cyclone tomas ripped through...
- Extreme Weather Batters Australia - Australia is bracing itself for extreme weather conditions...
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