Australian Cyclone Larry update, strongest storm since 1974

[uppityperson]

So far no deaths, relatively few injuries. All these articles have more at links.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1746488&page=2

"Most of the casualties and deaths resulting from cyclones happen after the storm has passed," he warned. "Keep your kids away from flooded drains, be aware of snakes and crocodiles. Those guys will have had a bad night, too."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4823580.stm

A powerful tropical cyclone has hit Australia's north-east coast, packing winds of up to 290km/h (180mph).

Tropical Cyclone Larry smashed into Queensland at Innisfail, about 100km (62 miles) south of Cairns, making thousands homeless...

Several pictures at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4825540.stm


http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/03/20/aus-cyclone-devastation.html

Police say more than half of the homes in Innisfail, a coastal town of 8,500, were destroyed.

Mayor Neil Clarke said on Monday he didn't know how many people are in need of shelter. Tents have been set up at the Innisfail airport to serve as emergency shelters.

"This is not only a disaster for the environment, for the structural buildings of places, but it's an economic disaster as well," Clarke said.

Cyclone Larry hit the north coast with winds approaching 300 kilometres an hour, damaging houses, uprooting large trees, knocking down kilometres of powerlines, and devastating the region's banana and sugar-farming industry...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060320/ap_on_re_au_an/australia_cyclone

[pitohui]

1. you look at the size of the thing

and then you read the description of the devastation and it does make you realize how sparsely populated australia is compared to our coasts because this wasn't a little storm

the australians sound like they are v. well organized and are prepared to do what it takes to clean up the mess

could have been a lot worse, sounds like they are on top of this one, amazing

i wonder if they have splenda, it sounds funny to say so, but some of the cane damaged in katrina, by quick thinking, the usda and the sugar plants were able to make it into splenda, this could ease some of the economic and agricultural disaster at least a little

[uppityperson]

2. I read in 1 of the articles about people calling for help..

were told to wrap themselves in mattresses and wait. Splenda is made from cane? I thought it was another artificial thing. Big cyclone.

[theHandpuppet]

3. And there's a second storm right on its heels!

Take a look:

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65242.shtml

[uppityperson]

4. Lots of interesting stuff on that web site

surviving cyclones, storm surges, overview of cyclone season expected, etc

[Dudley_DUright]

5. As a FL resident, I can definitely relate

What was that about the lack of evidence of global warming again W?