Wind gusts stronger than 160 mph were recorded at tourist resorts along the world-famous Great Barrier Reef as the powerful storm, at category four just one rung below the most dangerous wind speed level, began to make landfall. No injuries had been reported so far but the storm was travelling southwest so slowly that weather forecasters said cyclone conditions could persist for as long as 24 hours. "It's very noisy: Screaming, howling wind ... sounds like a freight train," Jan Clifford said by text from Airlie Beach, about 590 miles northwest of the state capital, Brisbane.

Authorities had urged thousands of people in low-lying areas to flee their homes yesterday, in what would be the biggest evacuation seen in Australia since Cyclone Tracy devastated the northern city of Darwin on Christmas Day, 1974. Cyclone Debbie made landfall at Airlie Beach shortly after midday local time (0200 GMT), knocking out telephone services. Torrential rain flooded streets and wind smashed windows, uprooted trees and tossed debris through streets, while jetties at Airlie Beach marina were wrecked, pictures broadcast on Nine Network television showed.

Power was cut for 38,000 people in a wide area between the towns of Bowen and Mackay, north and south of Airlie Beach, utility Ergon Energy said. Ports at Abbot Point, Mackay and Hay Point were shut, Townsville airport was closed and airlines Qantas, Jetstar, Rex and Virgin Australia cancelled several flights to and from the region. BHP Billiton and Glencore halted work at their coal mines in the storm's path.

The cyclone had earlier swept through the Whitsunday islands further east, where tourist resorts were damaged and boats torn from moorings, guests told Reuters by phone. Television pictures showed churning seas had washed away once-idyllic beaches. Cyclone Debbie is the most powerful storm to hit Queensland since Cyclone Yasi destroyed homes and crops and devastated island resorts in 2011. "The eye itself is probably 30 miles across," said senior forecaster Adam Blazak.

A tidal surge was expected to flood low-lying areas near Mackay as the storm whipped up waves and currents and lifted sea levels. Authorities said it was too dangerous to venture outside and assess damage. Emergency response crews were also hunkered down until the storm blew over. "It is going to take a long time, well into this afternoon and to the evening before these winds even start to die down," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told Australian Broadcasting Corporation television. Holidaymakers tried to make the best of it as they bunkered down in resort buildings. </s> (TOWNSVILLE, Australia) — Residents of Australia's cyclone-battered tropical northeast emerged from their homes on Wednesday to find roofs lying in their yards, boats flung onto rocks and roads blocked by tangles of fallen trees and power lines, as emergency officials tried to reach communities cut off by the powerful storm.

Cyclone Debbie, which slammed into the coast of Queensland state on Tuesday with winds up to 260 kilometers (160 miles) an hour, weakened quickly as it moved inland and was downgraded to a tropical low by Wednesday morning.

Australia's military sent vehicles, aircraft and supplies to the region, and clean-up efforts were expected to begin later Wednesday. Around 60,000 houses were without power, and several communities remained isolated with no access to communications. Emergency workers were trying to reach those areas to ensure residents were safe, Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said.

"Nature has flung her worst at the people of north Queensland," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters. "It is now our job to make sure that every agency pulls together ... to provide support to the people of north Queensland who have had a very tough day and night."

There were no reports of deaths from the storm. One man was injured after a wall collapsed in the town of Proserpine, Stewart said. He was in stable condition.

Proserpine was one of the worst-hit areas, along with the resort town of Airlie Beach and the town of Bowen. There was also serious damage to resorts on the idyllic Whitsunday Islands, a popular tourist destination, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. Around 200 people vacationing on Daydream Island were awaiting evacuation, and water supplies were running low.

"There would be nothing more tragic than waking up and seeing walls that have come in from your houses, roofs that have gone off, and debris that is lying across your roads," Palaszczuk told reporters.

At the port of Shute Harbour, 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of Airlie Beach, the storm tossed around 30 vessels onto the rocks, Whitsundays Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox said.

Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the state emergency services department had received 800 calls for help, and that number was expected to rise as power came back on in communities.

The area produces sugarcane and a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including mangoes and peppers, and farmers were just beginning to check on damage to their crops Wednesday morning.

Farmer Bill Atkinson, who lives 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Airlie Beach, said the storm had battered his property, tearing roofs off sheds, knocking down trees and partially destroying his sugarcane.

"It's going to be sad. It hasn't done (the crop) any favors," he said. "The cane is bent over, the tops are cracked off." </s> A powerful cyclone has slammed into Australia's tropical north east coast, tearing down fences, snapping trees and knocking out power to thousands.

The destructive eyewall of Cyclone Debbie, a Category 4 storm packing winds up to 160mph, made landfall near Airlie Beach, a resort town in Queensland, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said.

The town is starting point for trips to the Whitsunday Islands, a popular tourist destination which has been pummelled by fierce winds that damaged roofs and knocked down palm trees.

Officials warned that the slow-moving storm is likely to hover over the region for several hours before weakening as it moves inland.

Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the cyclone's slow pace had created a "battering ram effect", with some areas enduring the howling winds and drenching rains for a long time.

Communities along more than 200 miles of coastline are expected to be impacted, he said.

"I suspect before the day is out, we will see a lot of structural damage in the cyclone's path," Mr Stewart said.

John Collins, a member of the Whitsundays government council, was sheltering from the storm with his wife and four daughters inside their house in Proserpine, a town south of Airlie Beach.

He could see that four of his neighbours' sheds had been destroyed and every house within eyesight - including his own - had lost their fences. At least four trees had been smashed to pieces.

"It sounds like you got a jumbo jet sitting on the roof of your house," Mr Collins said by telephone of the wind roaring outside. "It really is so loud. It's incredible."

His wife and two of their daughters were so scared they were hiding under blankets. Meanwhile, one of his other daughters - whom he described as "a real weather nerd" - was enthralled with the storm, and was diligently listening to the radio for updates.

The family's power had been out since Tuesday morning, and they were resigned to several more hours of waiting until it was safe to emerge from the house.

"It's just going on and on and on," he said.

Thousands of people evacuated low-lying areas in the storm's path on Monday. Hundreds of schools were closed on Tuesday and more than 20,000 households were without power by mid-afternoon.

"Conditions have deteriorated rapidly," prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an address to Parliament. "Take care and stay safe. Be prepared to shelter in place until Wednesday."

The storm poses a serious threat to the farming region's crops. The area produces a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, mangoes and peppers. </s> TOWNSVILLE, Australia (AP) — A powerful cyclone packing winds of up to 260 kilometers (160 miles) per hour roared across Australia’s tropical northeast on Tuesday, uprooting trees, tearing down fences and knocking out power to thousands, officials said.

Cyclone Debbie, which slammed into the coast of Queensland state as a fierce Category 4 storm, quickly began to weaken after making landfall near the resort town of Airlie Beach, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said. By Tuesday night, it had been downgraded to a Category 2 storm, with wind gusting up to 155 kilometers (95 miles) per hour.

One man was injured after a wall collapsed in Proserpine, a town south of Airlie Beach, Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said. The man was taken to a hospital, where he was in stable condition.

The extent of the damage from the storm was not known as night fell across the region, but there were reports of roofs peeling from homes, fences crumbling and trees snapping in half. The idyllic Whitsunday Islands, a popular tourist destination, were hit particularly hard, with one recorded wind gust of 263 kilometers (163 miles) per hour, the meteorology bureau reported.

The slow-moving storm pounded the coastal region for hours, creating what Stewart called a “battering ram effect,” with the same areas enduring the howling winds and drenching rains for a punishingly long time.

Communities along more than 300 kilometers (190 miles) of coastline were expected to be impacted, Stewart said.

Australia’s military was sending vehicles, aircraft and supplies to the region, with soldiers focusing on clearing debris and reopening roads, State Recovery Coordinator Brigadier Chris Field said.

John Collins, a member of the Whitsundays government council, was sheltering from the storm with his wife and four daughters inside their house in Proserpine. He could see that four of his neighbors’ sheds had been destroyed and every house within sight — including his own — had lost their fences. At least four trees had been smashed to pieces.

“It sounds like you got a jumbo jet sitting on the roof of your house,” Collins said by telephone of the wind roaring outside. “It really is so loud. It’s incredible.”

Collins’ wife and two of their daughters were so scared they were hiding under blankets. Meanwhile, one of his other daughters — whom he described as “a real weather nerd” — was enthralled with the storm, and was diligently listening to the radio for updates on its path. The family’s power had been out since Tuesday morning, and they were resigned to several more hours of waiting until it was safe to emerge from their house.

“It’s just going on and on and on,” he said.

Thousands of people evacuated low-lying areas in the storm’s path on Monday. Hundreds of schools were closed on Tuesday and more than 50,000 households were without power.

“Conditions have deteriorated rapidly,” Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an address to Parliament. “Take care and stay safe. Be prepared to shelter in place until Wednesday.”

The storm also poses a serious threat to the farming region’s crops. The area produces sugarcane and a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, mangoes and peppers. </s> TOWNSVILLE, Australia (AP) - A powerful cyclone packing winds of up to 260 kilometers (160 miles) per hour roared across Australia's tropical northeast on Tuesday, uprooting trees, tearing down fences and knocking out power to thousands, officials said.

Cyclone Debbie, which slammed into the coast of Queensland state as a fierce Category 4 storm, quickly began to weaken after making landfall near the resort town of Airlie Beach, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said. By Tuesday night, it had been downgraded to a Category 2 storm, with wind gusting up to 155 kilometers (95 miles) per hour.

One man was injured after a wall collapsed in Proserpine, a town south of Airlie Beach, Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said. The man was taken to a hospital, where he was in stable condition.

The extent of the damage from the storm was not known as night fell across the region, but there were reports of roofs peeling from homes, fences crumbling and trees snapping in half. The idyllic Whitsunday Islands, a popular tourist destination, were hit particularly hard, with one recorded wind gust of 263 kilometers (163 miles) per hour, the meteorology bureau reported.

The slow-moving storm pounded the coastal region for hours, creating what Stewart called a "battering ram effect," with the same areas enduring the howling winds and drenching rains for a punishingly long time.

Communities along more than 300 kilometers (190 miles) of coastline were expected to be impacted, Stewart said.

Australia's military was sending vehicles, aircraft and supplies to the region, with soldiers focusing on clearing debris and reopening roads, State Recovery Coordinator Brigadier Chris Field said.

John Collins, a member of the Whitsundays government council, was sheltering from the storm with his wife and four daughters inside their house in Proserpine. He could see that four of his neighbors' sheds had been destroyed and every house within sight - including his own - had lost their fences. At least four trees had been smashed to pieces.

"It sounds like you got a jumbo jet sitting on the roof of your house," Collins said by telephone of the wind roaring outside. "It really is so loud. It's incredible."

Collins' wife and two of their daughters were so scared they were hiding under blankets. Meanwhile, one of his other daughters - whom he described as "a real weather nerd" - was enthralled with the storm, and was diligently listening to the radio for updates on its path. The family's power had been out since Tuesday morning, and they were resigned to several more hours of waiting until it was safe to emerge from their house.

"It's just going on and on and on," he said.

Thousands of people evacuated low-lying areas in the storm's path on Monday. Hundreds of schools were closed on Tuesday and more than 50,000 households were without power.

"Conditions have deteriorated rapidly," Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an address to Parliament. "Take care and stay safe. Be prepared to shelter in place until Wednesday."

The storm also poses a serious threat to the farming region's crops. The area produces sugarcane and a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, mangoes and peppers. </s> TOWNSVILLE, Australia (AP) — A powerful cyclone slammed into Australia’s tropical northeast coast on Tuesday, tearing down fences, snapping trees and knocking out power to thousands, officials said.

The destructive eyewall of Cyclone Debbie, a Category 4 storm packing winds up to 260 kilometers per hour (160 miles per hour), made landfall near Airlie Beach, a resort town in Queensland state, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said in a statement.

The town is a jumping-off point for the Whitsunday Islands, a popular tourist destination that has been pummeled by fierce winds that damaged roofs and knocked down palm trees.

Officials warned that the slow-moving storm was likely to hover over the region for several hours before weakening as it moved inland. Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the cyclone’s glacial pace had created a “battering ram effect,” with some areas enduring the howling winds and drenching rains for a punishingly long time.

Communities along more than 300 kilometers (200 miles) of coastline were expected to be impacted, he said.

“I suspect before the day is out, we will see a lot of structural damage in the cyclone’s path,” Stewart said.

John Collins, a member of the Whitsundays government council, was sheltering from the storm with his wife and four daughters inside their house in Proserpine, a town south of Airlie Beach. He could see that four of his neighbors’ sheds had been destroyed and every house within eyesight — including his own — had lost their fences. At least four trees had been smashed to pieces.

“It sounds like you got a jumbo jet sitting on the roof of your house,” Collins said by telephone of the wind roaring outside. “It really is so loud. It’s incredible.”

Collins’ wife and two of their daughters were so scared they were hiding under blankets. Meanwhile, one of his other daughters — whom he described as “a real weather nerd” — was enthralled with the storm, and was diligently listening to the radio for updates on its path. The family’s power had been out since Tuesday morning, and they were resigned to several more hours of waiting until it was safe to emerge from their house.

“It’s just going on and on and on,” he said.

Thousands of people evacuated low-lying areas in the storm’s path on Monday. Hundreds of schools were closed on Tuesday and more than 20,000 households were without power by mid-afternoon.

“Conditions have deteriorated rapidly,” Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an address to Parliament. “Take care and stay safe. Be prepared to shelter in place until Wednesday.”

Whitsundays Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox said authorities had received 98 requests for help and had responded to most of them.

The storm also poses a serious threat to the farming region’s crops. The area produces a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, mangoes and peppers. </s> A powerful cyclone slammed into Australia's tropical northeast coast on Tuesday, tearing down fences, snapping trees and knocking out power to thousands, officials said.

The destructive eyewall of Cyclone Debbie, a Category 4 storm packing winds up to 260 kilometers per hour (160 miles per hour), made landfall near Airlie Beach, a resort town in Queensland state, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said in a statement.

The town is a jumping-off point for the Whitsunday Islands, a popular tourist destination that has been pummeled by fierce winds that damaged roofs and knocked down palm trees.

Officials warned that the slow-moving storm was likely to hover over the region for several hours before weakening as it moved inland. Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the cyclone's glacial pace had created a "battering ram effect," with some areas enduring the howling winds and drenching rains for a punishingly long time.

Communities along more than 300 kilometers (200 miles) of coastline were expected to be impacted, he said.

"I suspect before the day is out, we will see a lot of structural damage in the cyclone's path," Stewart said.

John Collins, a member of the Whitsundays government council, was sheltering from the storm with his wife and four daughters inside their house in Proserpine, a town south of Airlie Beach. He could see that four of his neighbors' sheds had been destroyed and every house within eyesight — including his own — had lost their fences. At least four trees had been smashed to pieces.

"It sounds like you got a jumbo jet sitting on the roof of your house," Collins said by telephone of the wind roaring outside. "It really is so loud. It's incredible."

Collins' wife and two of their daughters were so scared they were hiding under blankets. Meanwhile, one of his other daughters — whom he described as "a real weather nerd" — was enthralled with the storm, and was diligently listening to the radio for updates on its path. The family's power had been out since Tuesday morning, and they were resigned to several more hours of waiting until it was safe to emerge from their house.

"It's just going on and on and on," he said.

Thousands of people evacuated low-lying areas in the storm's path on Monday. Hundreds of schools were closed on Tuesday and more than 20,000 households were without power by mid-afternoon.

"Conditions have deteriorated rapidly," Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an address to Parliament. "Take care and stay safe. Be prepared to shelter in place until Wednesday."

Whitsundays Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox said authorities had received 98 requests for help and had responded to most of them.

The storm also poses a serious threat to the farming region's crops. The area produces a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, mangoes and peppers. </s> After battering the Whitsunday Islands, Category 4 Cyclone Debbie made landfall in Australia's northern Queensland Tuesday, bringing strong winds and the threat of storm surges.

Residents in the coastal town of Bowen, which is in the direct path of the cyclone, were being warned to stay indoors and " bunker down ." About 34,000 residents in the area have lost power, according to government owned energy provider Ergon Energy.

The day before, Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had called in the country's defense force to assist in emergency response and 25,000 people living in north Queensland had been told to evacuate in preparation for what could be the worst storm to hit the coast since Cyclone Yasi in 2011, the Guardian reports .

“Don’t wait until tomorrow because you will not be able to move probably past midnight tonight,” Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said in a briefing Monday.

Cyclone Debbie is expected to trigger tidal surges that could inundate the low-lying coastal areas, and officials have warned of flooding and potential damage to buildings. “We do believe there will be significant structural damage, significant flooding. There will be electrical wires down and the community just need to ride out this storm,” The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services deputy minster, Mark Roche, said.

The cyclone passed over the Whitsunday Islands early Tuesday morning local time, hammering the island of Hamilton with wind speeds of up to 263km per hour. "The winds are absolutely howling, it sounds like a freight train coming through or a jet engine right on top of you just screaming," a reporter on Hamilton Island told the Sydney Morning Herald . </s> TOWNSVILLE, Australia (AP) - A powerful cyclone lashed islands, damaged roofs and cut power on Tuesday as it edged toward Australia's tropical northeast coast, officials said.

Category 4 cyclone Debbie brought winds gusting to 250 kilometers per hour (155 miles per hour) and torrential rain to the Whitsunday Islands, a popular tourist destination off the Queensland state coast southeast of the city of Bowen, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said in a statement.

The eye of the storm was expected to cross the coast later Tuesday.

Deputy Police Commissioner Stephan Gollschewski said reports of damage were starting to come in.

"We're getting some reports already of roofs starting to lift, including at some of our own facilities in the Whitsundays," Gollschewski told Australian Broadcasting Corp. television.

He warned people in Debbie's path that they would be holed up for the entire day on Tuesday and could expect significant flooding in inland areas.

Whitsundays Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox said authorities had received 98 requests for help and had responded to most of them. He said 10,000 premises had lost electricity.

"The cyclone is impacting across the whole region, not just the islands," Willcox said. "The severity of Debbie, unfortunately, hasn't been felt yet."

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said communities along more than 300 kilometers (200 miles) of coastline would be impacted from Ayr to south of Mackay.

Thousands of people began evacuating low-lying areas in Debbie's path on Monday.
A Category 4 severe tropical cyclone travels over the Whitsunday Islands and crosses the coast of Queensland, Australia, near the town of Airlie Beach.