Will Cyclone Ita be a threat to Queensland[/b]
Tropical cyclone Ita has been upgraded to a category 5 system and is expected to bring 285km/h winds to north Queensland.
Cyclone Ita intensified to a category 5 system and began tracking faster towards the coast about 4pm on Thursday, with its speed increasing from 16km/h to 18km/h. Weather forecasters predict Ita will make landfall north of Cooktown on Friday night, with 9000 people directly in its path. It puts Ita in a worse category than Cyclone Larry, which hit north Queensland in March 2006, leaving a trail of destruction that included damage to 10,000 homes. Supermarket shelves in Cairns have been cleared of bottled water and bread as north Queensland residents prepare for the possible onslaught. The Great Barrier Reef resort of Lizard Island was evacuated on Wednesday as a precaution and will remain closed until Sunday.
Authorities hold concerns for the Aboriginal community of Hope Vale, near Cooktown, which is home to about 1000 people. The effects of the cyclone could be felt on the mainland as early as Thursday afternoon, with very heavy rain predicted for parts of the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands districts, and very destructive winds could hit areas between Cape Sidmouth and Cooktown from Friday morning.
Cyclone Ita was about 375 kilometers northeast of Cooktown and 325 kilometers northeast of Cape Melville on Thursday afternoon. Yet, the bureau's regional director Robb Webb said Ita would move slower than Cyclone Yasi in 2011 and Cyclone Larry. This would mean slower winds, but also much heavier downpours in coastal communities, including Cairns. It is a significant system, Mr. Webb said.
Cooktown Mayor Peter Scott said there was a real worry about the damage it could cause.
I've been here 20 years and always we get these cyclones flying past ... but this one is coming straight for us and is going to cross the coast as a high level category 4 and perhaps category 5, he said.
People are starting to take it very seriously. Cr Scott said the town was prepared with plenty of fuel and food, and the local cyclone shelter would open on Thursday.
It holds 1000 people and is less than three years old. But we wanted people to view that as a last resort, he said. Four Swift Water Rescue specialists were deployed from Cairns to Cooktown on Thursday morning, as well as 10 State Emergency Service volunteers. Another, nine Swift Water Rescue technicians left Brisbane for Cairns at 10am. On Wednesday, emergency services asked residents between Cape Grenville and Cairns to finalise preparations.
Tropical cyclone Ita has been upgraded to a category 5 system and is expected to bring 285km/h winds to north Queensland.
Cyclone Ita intensified to a category 5 system and began tracking faster towards the coast about 4pm on Thursday, with its speed increasing from 16km/h to 18km/h. Weather forecasters predict Ita will make landfall north of Cooktown on Friday night, with 9000 people directly in its path. It puts Ita in a worse category than Cyclone Larry, which hit north Queensland in March 2006, leaving a trail of destruction that included damage to 10,000 homes. Supermarket shelves in Cairns have been cleared of bottled water and bread as north Queensland residents prepare for the possible onslaught. The Great Barrier Reef resort of Lizard Island was evacuated on Wednesday as a precaution and will remain closed until Sunday.
Cyclone Ita was about 375 kilometers northeast of Cooktown and 325 kilometers northeast of Cape Melville on Thursday afternoon. Yet, the bureau's regional director Robb Webb said Ita would move slower than Cyclone Yasi in 2011 and Cyclone Larry. This would mean slower winds, but also much heavier downpours in coastal communities, including Cairns. It is a significant system, Mr. Webb said.
Cooktown Mayor Peter Scott said there was a real worry about the damage it could cause.
I've been here 20 years and always we get these cyclones flying past ... but this one is coming straight for us and is going to cross the coast as a high level category 4 and perhaps category 5, he said.
People are starting to take it very seriously. Cr Scott said the town was prepared with plenty of fuel and food, and the local cyclone shelter would open on Thursday.
It holds 1000 people and is less than three years old. But we wanted people to view that as a last resort, he said. Four Swift Water Rescue specialists were deployed from Cairns to Cooktown on Thursday morning, as well as 10 State Emergency Service volunteers. Another, nine Swift Water Rescue technicians left Brisbane for Cairns at 10am. On Wednesday, emergency services asked residents between Cape Grenville and Cairns to finalise preparations.