Coastal areas of Northeast Australia were battered by robust winds and heavy rainfall on Tuesday. This could be attributed to a powerful Cyclone Debbie that lashed the island resorts along the world famous Great Barrier Reef.
The Insurance Council of Australia has declared tropical cyclone as ‘catastrophe’ under Category 4 cyclone. The system smashed into the Queensland Coast between Bowen and Airlie Beach, with wind gusts of up to 270kmph. But after making landfall, the cyclone was downgraded to Category 3.
Weathermen described it as a one in 100 year event. The massive cyclone has already impacted the Whitsunday Islands and mainland towns of Airlie Beach, with destructive winds of up to 263kmph. Thus, wreaking havoc among the residents. Around 50,000 homes are without power throughout the impact zone.
Although the system was moving slower than what was predicted, it is still considered the most powerful cyclone to hit the tropical state of Queensland since Cyclone Yasi six years ago.
Authorities urged thousands of people in low-lying areas to evacuate their homes at risk from tidal surges and winds of up to 300 kmph. This could be the biggest evacuation seen in Australia since Cyclone Tracy devastated the northern city of Darwin in 1974.
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