http://www.ustream.tv/channel/townsville-yasi

Scary

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cyclone-yasi-home-webcam

Wishing the best to all our Australian friends. You're in my thoughts.

Likewise. Having visited Northern Queensland a few years ago and really falling for the place (and people), it is horrifying to see the videos on the news. I hope all remain safe and well. Good luck.

Thinking of you all...




Muck

I got a quick call from Pat Woolford this morning to say that they were OK and Mike, Pat's husband, was already out with his leaf blower cleaning up the broken branches and leaves. The phones are still out and her mobile phone is not working but she is managing by using her brother-in-law's mobile.
I don't know if they got any structural damage but no doubt when services are up again all will be revealed.
I think that North Queensland was extremely lucky given the intensity of that storm. So far no deaths or injuries have been recorded and hopefully that will remain the case.

Thanks for the update inbe!

I also thank you for the update. We had looked online at the weather map earlier today and wondered how everyone was faring.

Hello all - I saw the link posted by Barbara in the Lounge showing the size of this storm and I can't believe my eyes. I knew it was big, but nothing like that.

Just wanted to say that we're thinking of you, and hope the storm passes quickly as possible.

Have been thinking of our Fodorites and others from Australia and hoping you are staying safe.

glad to hear good reports. Good luck to all you Aussies--and travelers!! A good friend started her week long scuba diving trip off Cairns on Monday, but happy to say that she got back before the storm hit. They're in a resort a mile from the coast, hoping to be able to fly out in a few days!!

Good forward planning, houses built to withstand cyclones, people safely in evacuation centres, people who listened to the warnings and finally some luck was what made this event less than catastrophic.
My heart goes out to the farmers who have lost their crops though and those people who did sustain damage. At least you have your lives and that is the main thing.
Stay well!

Thanks from me, too, inbe. Have been worrying during the day at school, and frustrated not being able to keep up with the news. Thankful to learn there have been no deaths so far, but 3 safe births.

Alan here safe and well.

One death from asphyxiation. He used a generator in a sealed room! If I was still teaching I might use this example as a reason to pay attention in science! Two of the four people reported missing have turned up.

We had more damage to our yard and the nearby forest from Cyclone Larry 5 years ago. Still, some recovering trees snapped near the spot where they had regrown.

Maria asked me not to use the chain saw while she was away at work today so that comes out tomorrow morning.

We only lost power for 15 hours which is rather amazing.

Hope there are no more deaths in the snow storm in North America.

Good to hear you are all right Alan. Steve asked last night if you'd been heard from. Eek about the guy using a generator in a sealed room!

Be safe with that chain saw ;-)

Toucan2, give Steve some cheek from me.

Chain sawing almost complete. The acacia which came down into my neighbour's paddock is being consumed by the cows; good high protein food. So I'll leave it there for the moment and throw the stems back across the fence once the leaves are eaten.

My 90yo plus timber Queenslander house weathered the cyclone without a creak; lots of chainsaw activity here too Alan, finally just got power restored after 30 hours, big tree came down on power lines around the corner, so fridges and freezer contents ruined - generator seized up after about one hour. Grrrr So only contact with outside world via phone or battery operated radio. Yesterday all landlines in Cairns were out, but restored pretty smartly.

Only a couple of big banana trees down at our place, plus branches and the usual palm fronds everywhere. Incredibly heavy rain in Cairns the day after cyclone hit, so pool full of mud, but that's nothing compared with the poor folks around Tully and Cardwell.

Dunk Island Resort off Mission Beach; looks disastrous, I haven't seen anything yet on Bedarra but it must have copped a real hammering too.

But everything almost up and running as normal in Cairns, some reef trips went out today (calm and sunny) and more to go out tomorrow.

Bedarra is a mess.

I have seen some strange sea birds around the place since the cyclone but none came to my place to improve my home list. At least I got pictures of the Frigatebird in case I have to justify myself.

I was just thinking this evening - IMO they should make it mandatory to build all new structures in North Queensland so that they're cyclone proof. Is there an existing law like this? Should there be one? (Are you in government and are you reading this?)

Lavandula

Pat, good to hear your place is alright as well. Shame about the fridge and freezer. A friend of mine had to toss hers a few years back when the evacuation for a hurricane ended up being more than a week away. The stench just couldn't be gotten out.

Alan, I think you best post that picture of the frigatebird on your blog site

Relieved to see Pat and Alan safely back. Good luck with the clearing of debris, folks.
Alan, did the frigate bird drop in from Norfolk Island?!