Cyclone warning issued for Queensland as the Northern Territory mops up

Cyclone warning issued for north QLD
January 06, 2008 01:19pm Article from: AAP

COASTAL and island communities in Queensland's far north were battening down for a possible cyclone today.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said an intense tropical low, the remains of ex-tropical Cyclone Helen, was late this morning about 300km west of Weipa, on the western side of Cape York Peninsula. A cyclone warning has been issued for coastal and island communities from the Northern Territory-Queensland border to Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. The system was moving east at 43km/h and was expected to reintensify into a tropical cyclone by 9pm AEST (2200 AEDT). The bureau said Helen posed an immediate threat to coastal and island communities from Thursday Island in the north to Kowanyama in the south. It was packing wind gusts of up to 90km/h and was expected to cross the coast between Weipa and Kowanyama. Residents of the area were advised to take precautions and listen to their radios for the next advice at 2pm.

Northern Territory mops up after wild weather
January 06, 2008 01:52pm Article from: AAP

RESIDENTS on the outskirts of the Northern Territory town of Katherine are being warned of likely flooding as the territory mops up after a weekend of wild weather.
Ex-tropical cyclone Helen caused widespread damage, flooding and blackouts south of Darwin on Friday, with flooding still threatening low-lying areas on the outskirts of Katherine. The Nitmiluk rain gauging station on the Katherine River had reached 4.5 metres indicating likely road closures due to flooding in semi-rural areas, the Northern Territory police, fire and emergency services said today. They advised flooding was probable on the Gorge Road at Maud Creek crossing and Bullock Creek crossing near Morris Road within the next 12 hours. "People who are in a threatened area are advised to take action now, and make necessary arrangements to ensure their personal safety and protection of property," Katherine Counter Disaster Committee control commander Greg Dowd said in a statement. He said if residents chose to evacuate, they should take an emergency kit containing essential medicines, infant or baby necessities, changes of clothing, blankets, a torch and valuable personal papers. A spokeswoman for the emergency services said the situation around Katherine was being constantly monitored, but there was no immediate threat of flooding within the town of Katherine. "The committee will keep monitoring the situation and advise as the situation changes," she said.