Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has formed in the Coral Sea and, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, a “severe impact is likely” between Cardwell and Airlie Beach sometime this week.
The system is expected to become a Category 3 event and its impacts will be felt right across the region.
Whitsunday Regional Council urge all its residents to stay updated by using the Disaster Dashboard which will keep the community abreast of the most real-time, current information.
Important Websites:
• disaster.whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au
• whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au
• bom.gov.au
A History Of Cyclones
Cyclone Debbie
Category 4, crossed between Bowen and Airlie Beach in March 2017, causing major damage to the Whitsunday region. As the cyclone made landfall, extensive flooding occurred South of the cyclone from Mackay in Queensland through to Northern New South Wales.
Cyclone Dylan
Category 2, crossed between Bowen and Proserpine at the end of January 2014. Dylan quickly weakened to below cyclone status after moving over land.
A beachside resort on Great Keppel Island sustained severe damage to many structures after the beach gave way and washed several buildings into the sea. Inundation which was a result of unusually high tides resulted in damage to homes in Townsville and Mackay.
Cyclone Anthony
Category 2, crossed near Bowen in January 2011.
Cyclone Yasi
Category 5, crossed near Innisfail in February 2011 causing a 5m storm surge on a falling tide, and 2.3m inundation above king tide level at Cardwell. Note: Gale force winds were recorded in the Burdekin.
Cyclone Ului
Category 3, crossed near Airlie Beach in March 2010, causing major damage to the Whitsunday region.
Emergency Ready Check List
Food and water
• Range of non—perishable food items
• Bottled water
Medical and sanitation
• First Aid Kit and manual
• Essential medications, prescriptions, and dosage
• Toilet paper
• Toothbrush/toothpaste
• Soap/shampoo
• Personal hygiene items
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
Light
• Flashlight/torch with extra batteries
• Battery powered lantern
Communications
• Battery powered radio with extra batteries
• Prepaid phone cards and coins for phone calls
• Battery packs for cell phones
Clothing and footwear
• Warm jumper, waterproof jacket, hat, and gloves for everyone
• Closed—toed shoes or boots for everyone
Tools and supplies
• Whistle, utility knife, duct/masking tape
• Plastic garbage bags, ties
• Safety glasses and sunglasses.
Miscellaneous
• Special items for infants (nappies, formula etc)
• Special items needed by elderly or people with special needs
• Spare house and car keys
• Pet food, water, and other animal needs
Important documents
Keep original or certified copies of these documents in your Emergency Kit.
Scan copies of them and save the files on a USB memory stick or CD to include in your kit. Keep all these items in sealed plastic bags.
Did You Know?
On average, there are 13 cyclones annually in Australia. 4 of these cyclones per year affect the Queensland Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre Area of Responsibility, but obviously not all make landfall in our area. There have been over 210 known impacts from tropical cyclones along the east coast of Queensland since 1858.
Beware Of The Surge
A storm surge is a rise above the normal water level along a shore resulting from strong onshore winds and / or reduced atmospheric pressure. Around the world, drowning by storm surge accounts for a high proportion of the deaths in tropical cyclones.
