NORTHERN Queenslanders are preparing for the imminent impact of the category 4 Tropical Cyclone Ita, with farmers working fast to harvest their crops as quickly as possible before the storm rips into the Queensland coast on Friday night.
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit Queensland's Disaster Management Services website
- For emergency assistance call the Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) on 132 500
The cyclone was classified as a category 5 yesterday and this morning, but has been downgraded to 4 - although severe and serious damage is still expected from the system.
Queensland regional director at the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) Rob Webb said by comparison, severe Tropical Cyclone Ita is a stronger cyclone than Yasi (February 2011), which was at the lower end of the Category 5 scale, but it is much smaller in size.
Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce said his thoughts and best wishes go out to those working to protect their properties as winds from the cyclone continue to intensify, with landfall expected late on Friday.
BOM reported at 6pm on Friday that destructive winds with gusts in excess of 125 kilometres per hour were occurring at Cape Flattery and would develop between Cape Melville and Cooktown during the evening, extending south to Cape Tribulation overnight and possibly to Port Douglas during Saturday morning.
Gales were occurring between Cape Melville and Cooktown at 6pm and will extend south to Cape Tribulation in the evening and inland to Laura and Palmerville overnight. Gales may extend south to Cairns and Innisfail and inland to Chillagoe during Saturday, and possibly to Cardwell later in the evening.
There remains the small possibility that Ita could track south close to the coast on Friday night, BOM warned, and maintain an intensity capable of generating destructive wind gusts to 150km/hr in Cairns during Saturday. From Sunday, the system will start tracking to the southeast and away from the Queensland coast, allowing conditions to start easing on Monday, but before then heavy rain and gusty winds will stretch as far south as the Capricornia Coast.
Coastal residents between Cape Melville and Cape Tribulation, including Cooktown are specifically warned of the dangerous storm tide as the cyclone crosses the coast tonight. The sea is likely to rise steadily up to a level which will be significantly above the normal tide, with damaging waves, strong currents and flooding of low-lying areas extending some way inland.
Mr Joyce said the safety of those in the firing line was paramount.
“Nobody wishes the kind of devastation on anyone that families and farms experienced in the wake of Cyclone Yasi in 2011,” he said.
“It’s an important reminder of the role our farmers play. The last time an event of this magnitude occurred in this area, the after-effects saw banana prices go through the roof around the country. No Australians should take our safe and secure food supply for granted.”
Agricultural production in north Queensland is a very important contributor to Australia's economy. In 2010–11 the total gross value of agricultural production in Queensland was $9.5 billion.
“Broadacre crops such as bananas and sugar cane are key industries in many rural and regional areas of Queensland. They are also prone to wind damage and production losses can be severe.”
The Bureau warned that people in the path of the very dangerous system between Cape Melville and Cooktown should stay calm and remain in a secure shelter - above the expected water level - while the very destructive winds develop into Friday night. Residents should not venture outside in the eye of the cyclone - very destructive winds from a different direction could resume at any time.
Ita has been building its strength across the northern Coral Sea during the past week as it slowly approached the Queensland coastline.
It became a category 5 system (the highest category of cyclone) yesterday afternoon - the same category as Yasi, which made landfall in Queensland three years ago.
Ita is of a similar strength to Yasi, however it is a slightly smaller system. This means that it will affect a smaller area than Yasi as it makes landfall, however the effects will be just as severe for those near its path.
Mr Webb said while April is late in the season for this kind of system, tropical cyclones were not uncommon at this time of year. Tropical Cyclone Zane formed in the eastern region in April 2013 and severe Tropical Cyclone Monica in April 2006.
The Department of Agriculture also has a range of assistance measures in place for farmers facing hardship and in need of additional support in the wake of the Cyclone.
Visit daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/drought/assistance or the Rural Financial Counselling Service website for more information. Income support is available now for farmers and their partners - contact the Department of Human Services on 132 316.