Cyclone Rips off Roofs, Flings Boats onto Land in Australia

TOWNSVILLE, Australia (AP) — 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. In this image made from video, wind gusts outside shops in Bowen, eastern Australia, Tuesday, March 28, 2017. A powerful cyclone lashed islands, damaged roofs and cut power on Tuesday as it edged toward Australia's tropical northeast coast, officials said. (AuBC via AP) "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.&...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Major Incidents News Patient Care Source Type: news