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The Watercooler
When it rains, it pours -- pray for Marg and her countrymen!
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 404697" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>Update - a different news report said it is 500 km across. I need to confirm.</p><p></p><p>Willis Island - three staff there had already left, the monitoring equipment was on automatic. But with Willis Island monitoring gone, they can only use satellite tracking to see where the cyclone is going. No more data on wind strength.</p><p></p><p>It's coming in over a very warm tropical sea, so we don't know how big when it gets here.</p><p></p><p>Press conference now with Queensland premier (standing beside her is someone signing for the deaf). The storm surge risk has increased, it is now expected to hit at 10 pm, coinciding with high tide. Landfall - between Cairns & Cardwell. Rainfall - at least 700 mm (almost three feet). Still tracking straight.</p><p></p><p>Watching the deaf signer is fascinating - Auslan is different to Ameslan, but there would be similarities. The reason for the signer - a lot of people with hearing impairments are content to live an isolated life away from cities. Queensland is a lovely place. But during the earlier floods, some people contacted the authorities and said, "We can't understand the press conferences, we are hearing-impaired. Please keep us updated more effectively." So this system is in place.</p><p></p><p>150,000 t0 200,000 people will lose power. Transmission towers will come down, so not mobile phone towers could be a problem. They are going to get in as soon as possible afterwards to restore this. Evac centres will be first on the list for places to set up temporary communication transmission.</p><p></p><p>Buses are transporting people to evac centres; airports should now be closed. Portable hospitals have been set up; Darwin is standing by (they are not in the cyclone path). Tradespeople, army, other services, food supplies, water supplies are all on standby to get in there ASAP afterwards.</p><p></p><p>As I said before - we are lucky here. Our country is set up to handle this to the best of our ability. Aussies work in teams very well, we respond to authority very well (despite our reputation as thumbing our noses at it!). Perhaps I should say, we respond to authority that deserves respect. Anyone coming in and throwing around idiotic orders will get ignored or treated in various surprising ways. But our rescue services work hand in hand with police and army, it is all coordinated well with no competition. </p><p></p><p>Press conference over. Question time. Storm surge in one are - 4 metres, but most areas just over 2 metres. Worst on the southern side. Worst case scenario maps are being used to evacuate homes in the storm surge path.</p><p>Police commissioner speaking - small window of opportunity to get out and get to evac centre. Do it now, or don't go. If you don't go now, don't try to go later. You will die. He's not quite being that blunt, but that's the gist of it. The warning is for 24 hours that people will need to keep their heads down and stay put, before it is likely that the storm will have passed sufficiently for it to be safe to come outside. Stay in bathrooms and toilet areas, prepare mattresses, have food and water with you, torches. Prepare for the roof of the house to go, but even so - stay put, it is safer inside a de-roofed house than to leave. In tat 24 hour period, emergency services will not reach you. They have to stay safe too. That ay they will be alive afterwards to help people then. So people themselves in trouble, have to be the first responders. Use common sense and follow the safety procedures and all the instructions (we are regularly briefed in Australia on how to stay safe; hotels all have cyclone safety instructions behind the door in every unit, or provided to guests in this situation).</p><p></p><p>The eye is currently 30 km across and will take over an hour to pass. So don't believe it is over when it suddenly goes calm and stays calm for an hour - it will be back, and it will be bad.</p><p></p><p>Also a reminder - the wind direction will change direction and reverse as the eye passes - plan for it. Use the eye to patch up damage and protect the other side, you will have a better idea of what to expect.</p><p></p><p>The wind won't suddenly hit at X time, it is building now. It is already getting too dangerous to drive on the road.</p><p></p><p>The rainfall is expected further north than previously thought, which is good news. It is going into the Gulf region more than earlier believed. Good news indeed. They're not so waterlogged, and also very sparsely populated. Building in that area (very few) are built to strong cyclone specs. They also would have satellite phones and not be relying on mobile phone towers.</p><p></p><p>Whatever happens now - we are as ready as we can be. I mean we, the country. Down here, the sun is shining and will continue to do so until storms on Saturday. Temperatures to drop and rainfall here, on Sunday.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 404697, member: 1991"] Update - a different news report said it is 500 km across. I need to confirm. Willis Island - three staff there had already left, the monitoring equipment was on automatic. But with Willis Island monitoring gone, they can only use satellite tracking to see where the cyclone is going. No more data on wind strength. It's coming in over a very warm tropical sea, so we don't know how big when it gets here. Press conference now with Queensland premier (standing beside her is someone signing for the deaf). The storm surge risk has increased, it is now expected to hit at 10 pm, coinciding with high tide. Landfall - between Cairns & Cardwell. Rainfall - at least 700 mm (almost three feet). Still tracking straight. Watching the deaf signer is fascinating - Auslan is different to Ameslan, but there would be similarities. The reason for the signer - a lot of people with hearing impairments are content to live an isolated life away from cities. Queensland is a lovely place. But during the earlier floods, some people contacted the authorities and said, "We can't understand the press conferences, we are hearing-impaired. Please keep us updated more effectively." So this system is in place. 150,000 t0 200,000 people will lose power. Transmission towers will come down, so not mobile phone towers could be a problem. They are going to get in as soon as possible afterwards to restore this. Evac centres will be first on the list for places to set up temporary communication transmission. Buses are transporting people to evac centres; airports should now be closed. Portable hospitals have been set up; Darwin is standing by (they are not in the cyclone path). Tradespeople, army, other services, food supplies, water supplies are all on standby to get in there ASAP afterwards. As I said before - we are lucky here. Our country is set up to handle this to the best of our ability. Aussies work in teams very well, we respond to authority very well (despite our reputation as thumbing our noses at it!). Perhaps I should say, we respond to authority that deserves respect. Anyone coming in and throwing around idiotic orders will get ignored or treated in various surprising ways. But our rescue services work hand in hand with police and army, it is all coordinated well with no competition. Press conference over. Question time. Storm surge in one are - 4 metres, but most areas just over 2 metres. Worst on the southern side. Worst case scenario maps are being used to evacuate homes in the storm surge path. Police commissioner speaking - small window of opportunity to get out and get to evac centre. Do it now, or don't go. If you don't go now, don't try to go later. You will die. He's not quite being that blunt, but that's the gist of it. The warning is for 24 hours that people will need to keep their heads down and stay put, before it is likely that the storm will have passed sufficiently for it to be safe to come outside. Stay in bathrooms and toilet areas, prepare mattresses, have food and water with you, torches. Prepare for the roof of the house to go, but even so - stay put, it is safer inside a de-roofed house than to leave. In tat 24 hour period, emergency services will not reach you. They have to stay safe too. That ay they will be alive afterwards to help people then. So people themselves in trouble, have to be the first responders. Use common sense and follow the safety procedures and all the instructions (we are regularly briefed in Australia on how to stay safe; hotels all have cyclone safety instructions behind the door in every unit, or provided to guests in this situation). The eye is currently 30 km across and will take over an hour to pass. So don't believe it is over when it suddenly goes calm and stays calm for an hour - it will be back, and it will be bad. Also a reminder - the wind direction will change direction and reverse as the eye passes - plan for it. Use the eye to patch up damage and protect the other side, you will have a better idea of what to expect. The wind won't suddenly hit at X time, it is building now. It is already getting too dangerous to drive on the road. The rainfall is expected further north than previously thought, which is good news. It is going into the Gulf region more than earlier believed. Good news indeed. They're not so waterlogged, and also very sparsely populated. Building in that area (very few) are built to strong cyclone specs. They also would have satellite phones and not be relying on mobile phone towers. Whatever happens now - we are as ready as we can be. I mean we, the country. Down here, the sun is shining and will continue to do so until storms on Saturday. Temperatures to drop and rainfall here, on Sunday. Marg [/QUOTE]
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When it rains, it pours -- pray for Marg and her countrymen!
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