Early on Tuesday morning, authorities announced an emergency evacuation of the Queensland area in Australia. The reason for this was that the Cyclone Debbie, reported to be the worst cyclone to hit the region since 2011, was on the move.
The category four cyclone was moving moderately slowly at the time but has now kicked into high gears of about 163 mph. Meteorological reports show that Cyclone Debbie might not die down for a few hours yet.
Impact
In the early morning, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk called the mayor from the regions. She reported that evacuations had already begun. 25000 people have also been urged to evacuate the Townsville area as authorities are not sure where the cyclone may hit next. Those who had already left their homes, Palaszczuk reported, were receiving aid in shelters that had been set up for them on higher ground as well as in nearby hospitals. “We have a long day ahead of us,” Palaszczuk said.
Displacement of people is not the only thing that Cyclone Debbie has affected.
Over 23000 homes have lost power because of the cyclone. Electricity providers warn that more homes will lose power before the end of the day.
The cyclone has additionally damaged sections of the Whitsunday Islands. Police report that there has been a landfall in the area between Bowen and Airlie Beach as well.
Residents of Queensland are also feeling the impact. Whitsunday Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollscewski says that the roofs of the police stations have ‘almost been lifted’ as well. Another resident, who only identified himself to the ABC News as Charlie, describes walking out during the storm as a ‘freight train.’ “Even the trees are shaking wildly in these winds,” he said.
As the people in the regions evacuate, flights going out of the Townsville and Mackay airports have been canceled. Tourists who typically frequent the area have either canceled their holidays if they had not arrived while those who had flown out first thing after the cyclone alert came on.
Businesses are feeling the impact as well. Many business owners have closed shop to ride out the cyclone while hotels have lost money because the tourists who frequent them are no longer present in the area. Food service businesses are now hotspots as the police force, and firefighters are getting nourished ahead of what they are calling a long day and night of work ahead of them.
The authorities have further shut down almost two hundred schools and closed down two hundred and twelve early childhood education centers.
Meteorological predictions are showing that Cyclone Debbie has raised low tides, but low-lying areas should beware of possible flooding nevertheless. Areas around the Great Barrier Reef have been secured, and no one is being allowed into that zone.
Authorities are warning everyone to stay in designated safe zones, stating that the cyclone has already been reported to have one casualty.
More than two thousand emergency workers are on standby as residents wait for the Cyclone Debbie to abate.
