Ingrid fury lashes Territory
By Greg McLean and Suellen Hinde
March 14, 2005
TROPICAL Cyclone Ingrid unleashed its full fury on the Northern Territory coastline yesterday with winds of up to 290km/h destroying schools, homes and power and water services.
Residents of Croker Island, Goulburn Island and the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin bore the full brunt of the Category 4 and sometimes Category 5 cyclone.
The southern edge of Tropical Cyclone Ingrid was expected to bring gale force winds of up to 120km/h in Darwin last night.
Croker Island essential services manager Wayne Barnes said the 300-strong Minjilang community was pounded by winds of up to 290km/h for more than 10 hours.
"The island is decimated - there's not a tree left," he said.
"I've experienced plenty of cyclones over the years living up near Cape York but never anything like this.
"You couldn't move - it was very scary and I'm surprised no one was killed or injured
Half the school has been completely demolished, the roof's gone on the general store, there's trees on top of houses and the steel power poles are at right angles.
"They said the winds got up to 320km/h and you could feel every bit of that. It was absolute mayhem."
The cyclone hit Minjilang just after midnight yesterday and punished the coastal community until the eye set in just after 6am.
Within two hours the cyclone had resumed at full intensity and did not relent until petering out about 11am.
Power and water is not expected to be restored on Croker Island until at least this afternoon and there is only enough food on the island to last until tomorrow.
The Jarbu Fishing Lodge was completely destroyed and a nearby pearl farm suffered moderate damage. Dozens of homes suffered major damage from falling trees and debris.
Road access to the airport is open, however the strip has suffered some damage and all aircraft have been directed to land at the northern end of the strip.
Further west, some of the Tiwi Islands' 2500 residents started moving into cyclone shelters as early as 2pm yesterday.
Bathurst Island police based at Nguiu on the southern side said preparations began on Saturday.
"The barge was taken out of the water and all the boats have been secured," Sergeant David Wilson said.
"We have made a lot of preparations this morning (Sunday) cleaning up all the bins and moving anything that could become dangerous.
"We have got a lot of people out of the outstations to come into the centres where the shelters are."
Sgt Wilson said there were shelters at all the main centres on the Tiwi Islands at Snake Bay, Garden Point, Nguiu and Pirlangimpi.
The Melville Island community of Milikapiti is believed to have experienced the worst of the cyclone in the Tiwi Islands.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12538125-2,00.html
By Greg McLean and Suellen Hinde
March 14, 2005
TROPICAL Cyclone Ingrid unleashed its full fury on the Northern Territory coastline yesterday with winds of up to 290km/h destroying schools, homes and power and water services.
Residents of Croker Island, Goulburn Island and the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin bore the full brunt of the Category 4 and sometimes Category 5 cyclone.
The southern edge of Tropical Cyclone Ingrid was expected to bring gale force winds of up to 120km/h in Darwin last night.
Croker Island essential services manager Wayne Barnes said the 300-strong Minjilang community was pounded by winds of up to 290km/h for more than 10 hours.
"The island is decimated - there's not a tree left," he said.
"I've experienced plenty of cyclones over the years living up near Cape York but never anything like this.
"You couldn't move - it was very scary and I'm surprised no one was killed or injured
Half the school has been completely demolished, the roof's gone on the general store, there's trees on top of houses and the steel power poles are at right angles.
"They said the winds got up to 320km/h and you could feel every bit of that. It was absolute mayhem."
The cyclone hit Minjilang just after midnight yesterday and punished the coastal community until the eye set in just after 6am.
Within two hours the cyclone had resumed at full intensity and did not relent until petering out about 11am.
Power and water is not expected to be restored on Croker Island until at least this afternoon and there is only enough food on the island to last until tomorrow.
The Jarbu Fishing Lodge was completely destroyed and a nearby pearl farm suffered moderate damage. Dozens of homes suffered major damage from falling trees and debris.
Road access to the airport is open, however the strip has suffered some damage and all aircraft have been directed to land at the northern end of the strip.
Further west, some of the Tiwi Islands' 2500 residents started moving into cyclone shelters as early as 2pm yesterday.
Bathurst Island police based at Nguiu on the southern side said preparations began on Saturday.
"The barge was taken out of the water and all the boats have been secured," Sergeant David Wilson said.
"We have made a lot of preparations this morning (Sunday) cleaning up all the bins and moving anything that could become dangerous.
"We have got a lot of people out of the outstations to come into the centres where the shelters are."
Sgt Wilson said there were shelters at all the main centres on the Tiwi Islands at Snake Bay, Garden Point, Nguiu and Pirlangimpi.
The Melville Island community of Milikapiti is believed to have experienced the worst of the cyclone in the Tiwi Islands.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12538125-2,00.html
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 3:32 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home