SYDNEY (Reuters) – According to reports, several tourist towns located along Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and other areas in northeastern Queensland state are preparing for a potential tropical cyclone, which is anticipated to reach land on Thursday, the day before the Australia Day long weekend.
Residents have been advised by authorities to ensure they have enough emergency supplies to last for at least three days and to avoid unnecessary travel. The Coral Sea currently has a tropical low that is expected to develop into a cyclone on Wednesday night, about 700 km (435 miles) off the Queensland coast, as per the weather bureau.
Laura Boekel, a forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology, mentioned during a media briefing, “We have already started to see those stronger winds and we expect them to start impacting the Queensland coast tonight.”
Storm warnings extending for around 900 km (559 miles) have been issued and destructive wind gusts of up to 120 km (75 miles) per hour are forecasted for certain tourist towns along the Great Barrier Reef.
The weather system has been downgraded to a category 2 cyclone, three levels below the most dangerous wind-speed level, from category 3. However, it is still expected to bring heavy rain and life-threatening flash flooding.
Following the recent weather warnings, Townsville, with a population of about 180,000, is anticipated to be one of the most affected towns. The airport there will be closed from Thursday, and public events on the Australia Day holiday on Friday have been called off.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles has stated that an additional 100 emergency personnel have been deployed in the state.
Miles also urged people to reconsider traveling prior to the extended national holiday weekend, stating, “I just encourage people to look at the forecast and make sensible decisions. Given the heavy rainfall, it’s important that Queenslanders consider what travel is necessary in these areas from Thursday and throughout the weekend.”
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; editing by Miral Fahmy)
