Orkaan ULUI richting Australie

quote:

severe tropical cyclone Ului is on its way.

Mackay residents are being urged to prepare for the worst amid predictions Cyclone Ului, which was classed as a category four cyclone last night, will cross the coast between Bowen and Gladstone on Saturday or Sunday.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said the cyclone could cause swells of between eight and 10 metres, depending on its intensity and where it hits the coast.

Mackay Regional Council is urging people to clean up their gardens and prepare emergency kits in case the cyclone affects Mackay.

Mayor Col Meng, who chairs the Local Disaster Management Group, said the cyclone could produce destructive winds and flooding in the Mackay region.

“There is no need to panic or create unnecessary alarm, but it is important we take this opportunity to clear up the backyard and prepare an emergency kit,” Cr Meng said.

“We really need residents to take the warnings seriously and be adequately prepared.”

Cr Meng said people should clear their gardens, removing objects that could be lifted by strong winds, clean their gutters and remove tree branches that could fall during strong wind gusts.

At 4.45pm yesterday, the category four storm was 1210km northeast of Mackay. The cyclone is expected to turn west-southwest and begin moving closer to the Central Queensland coast tomorrow.

quote:

A cyclone warning is now current for coastal areas from Ayr to Yeppoon.

A cyclone watch continues for coastal areas from Cardwell to Ayr, and adjacent inland areas.

At 4pm today tropical cyclone Ului was estimated to be 850 kilometres east northeast of Mackay and 1010 kilometres east northeast of Townsville, moving southwest at 15 kilometres per hour.

The system is currently a category 2 cyclone and is predicted to remain at that intensity until it crosses the coast.

Tropical cyclone Ului is forecast to make landfall early on Sunday morning between Cardwell and Mackay.

quote:

Disaster declaration issued as Ului nears

The Queensland Government has approved the use of forced evacuations to ensure the safety of residents in the north of the state who may be affected by Tropical Cyclone Ului.

Ului is about 365 kilometres east-north-east of Mackay and travelling west-south-west towards the coast at 27 kilometres per hour.

The cyclone is a strong Category 2 but has been gaining strength and could intensify to a Category 3 system.

The pre-emptive disaster declaration, which allows for mandatory evacuations, applies the Townsville, Burdekin, Whitsunday, Charters Towers, Mackay, Isaac, Rockhampton and Central Highlands local government areas.

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts says it is a necessary precaution.

"Hopefully it won't be needed, but it's simply an additional tool for the disaster authorities if required," he said.

"It's not just for the cyclone itself. We're expecting very heavy rain in the region where the cyclone crosses the coast, potentially up to 200 millimetres in a very short period of time, so there may be a need to evacuate people as a result of flooding."

Mr Roberts says residents should remain vigilant.

"On current predictions the cyclone is predicted to cross the coast about 4:00am on Sunday morning," he said.

"When many people are getting out of bed in the morning the eye of the cyclone may well be over their home or in their area, so we need people to be extra cautious and not go out on the streets and to remain vigilant."

Weather bureau director Jim Davidson says Ului is expected to cross the coast between Ayr and Mackay.

"Whether or not it crosses the coast as a Category 2 or a Category 3 we're not sure yet," he said.

"But certainly the maximum wind gusts are up there around 160 to 180 kilometres per hour, so that's quite destructive."

He says the system has the potential to drop up to 300 millimetres of rain on the Mackay and Pioneer Valley areas.

He says it could bring up to 100 millimetres to a much wider area.

"Fifty to 100 millimetres in most areas won't be a particular problem, but I think you all know a lot of the dams now are are full, the catchments are saturated," he said.

"It wouldn't want to be much more than that to to see some problems arising in coastal areas and in the adjacent inland."

He says the bureau is keeping a close watch on the situation.

"If it does become a fully-fledged Category 3 cyclone, and there's some chance that it might, that would mean very destructive winds on the coast," he said.

"But our best estimate at the moment is certainly somewhere between a Category 2 and a Category 3, making landfall somewhere between Bowen and Sarina in the early hours of tomorrow morning."

quote:

Cyclone Ului crosses Queensland coast at Airlie Beach

TROPICAL Cyclone Ului has crossed the Queensland coast at Airlie Beach after smashing through the Whitsunday Islands with winds of around 200km/h.
The Bureau of Meteorology says Ului's expected to continue inland, crossing Proserpine, Bowen and Collinsville before gradually weakening as it moves further inland later today.

Just before 2am (AEST) this morning, the cyclone was 42km east of Bowen.

Widespread blackouts have been reported across the region, with some as far south as Gladstone, although the worst hit areas appear to be Mackay, Sarina and Airlie Beach.

Trees have been uprooted on the islands and mainland, with some causing damage to buildings and other infrastructure.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh on Saturday issued disaster declarations for the Townsville, Burdekin, Whitsunday, Charters Towers, Mackay, Isaac, Rockhampton and Central Highlands local government areas.

The declaration gives emergency authorities the power of mandatory evacuations if required.