Cyclone expected to hit Qld on weekend

Coastal and inland communities of Queensland are preparing for category three
tropical cyclone Ului, which is expected to bring winds of around 200km/h and heavy
rain over the weekend.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) says the most likely scenario is for the cyclone to
cross the coast on Sunday morning between Townsville and Mackay.
At 4pm (AEST) on Thursday Ului was about 1140km northeast of Mackay and 1310km east
of Cairns, moving south-southwest at six kilometres an hour.
Forecaster Brett Harrison, from the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre, said a cyclone
watch was current for Cardwell to Yeppoon.
"But the actual track is pushing it toward the area between Townsville and Mackay,"
he said.
Mr Harrison said wind gusts near the centre were reaching 205km/h.
"It's still classified as a severe tropical cyclone so we do expect a reasonable
amount of damage as a result," he said.
"The heaviest rain is expected to be in the areas between the coast and the ranges.
"But there will be rain right from the southern tropics down through to the
Capricornia district and inland from there."
The bureau forecasts seas and sea swell are expected to increase along much of the
Queensland east coast and produce dangerous surf conditions on the exposed coasts.
Emergency officials met in Mackay and Rockhampton on Thursday to discuss disaster
management plans.
Isaac Regional Council mayor Cedric Marshall, whose officials attended the meeting,
said he had concerns about further flooding, as the council continued to work with
government agencies to fix roads, rail lines and other damaged facilities.
"We've still got some wet areas but all the roads are open now," he told AAP.
"Around Clairview there's some significant damage from high tides and flooding.
"There's foreshore damage, and significant damage to main roads and rail
infrastructure and it's flooded a number of houses."
He said families and businesses were making preparations.
While the inland central Queensland township of Emerald is not in Ului's coastal
firing line, mayor Peter Maguire said any more rain to the area would result in
flooding.
"Everything is already full around here. The creeks, the rivers and Fairbairn Dam
are all full," he said.
"We haven't repaired or opened some of the roads from the heavy rain we had recently."
He said parts of Emerald had received nearly 80cm of rain this year.
"You never know what you're going to get with a cyclone," he said.
"So I guess we'll have to just pray, watch and wait."