ID :
163344
Wed, 02/23/2011 - 11:56
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http://m.oananews.org//node/163344
The shortlink copeid
WA communities batten down for cyclone
Feb. 23 (AAP)- West Australian coastal communities in the path of tropical cyclone Carlos battened down and avoided major damage as the category 2 system swept through.
The cyclone has been tracking along the Pilbara coast and into the northern Gascoyne region and on Wednesday afternoon was heading southwest out to sea from North West Cape.
A red alert was in place between Onslow and Coral Bay, including Exmouth, with residents urged to stay in their homes and away from doors and windows.
Residents were warned to brace for destructive winds gusting to 155km/h as Carlos passed. Relocation centres were set up in Onslow and Exmouth.
At 3pm (WST) Exmouth Shire deputy president Bob Todd said it was still blowing and raining, but the winds had died off after gusting to what he estimated to be 140 to 150km/h.
He said trees were down, the school grounds were partially flooded, roads were covered by overflowing creeks, power was cut to some homes but there were no reports of major damage.
Mr Todd said most houses in the town were designed to withstand such wind speed.
Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) spokesman Allen Gale said at 2pm there had been no reports of major damage from affected communities.
"Everyone's well battened down ... certainly we expect vegetation damage from it and probably some minor damage to buildings but we're not expecting major damage."
Mr Gale said the risk of storm surges had passed and in Karratha residents and emergency workers were out cleaning up after a cyclone-fuelled mini-tornado damaged 43 homes in the town on Monday.
He said the red alert for coastal communities could be lifted some time on Wednesday evening.
Schools in the affected coastal region were closed on Wednesday along with many roads.
The Bureau of Meteorology said that by mid-Wednesday afternoon Carlos was west of the North West Cape and was expected to intensify as it continued southwest into open waters.
It said destructive winds with gusts to 140km/h were possible on the cape extending south to Coral Bay, and gales gusting to 100km/h were happening on the cape and likely to extend down to Cuvier Bay.
Communities between Exmouth and Coral Bay have been warned of high tides, rough seas, stream rises and possible flooding of low-lying areas.
Conditions were expected to ease from the east during Wednesday night.
The cyclone has been tracking along the Pilbara coast and into the northern Gascoyne region and on Wednesday afternoon was heading southwest out to sea from North West Cape.
A red alert was in place between Onslow and Coral Bay, including Exmouth, with residents urged to stay in their homes and away from doors and windows.
Residents were warned to brace for destructive winds gusting to 155km/h as Carlos passed. Relocation centres were set up in Onslow and Exmouth.
At 3pm (WST) Exmouth Shire deputy president Bob Todd said it was still blowing and raining, but the winds had died off after gusting to what he estimated to be 140 to 150km/h.
He said trees were down, the school grounds were partially flooded, roads were covered by overflowing creeks, power was cut to some homes but there were no reports of major damage.
Mr Todd said most houses in the town were designed to withstand such wind speed.
Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) spokesman Allen Gale said at 2pm there had been no reports of major damage from affected communities.
"Everyone's well battened down ... certainly we expect vegetation damage from it and probably some minor damage to buildings but we're not expecting major damage."
Mr Gale said the risk of storm surges had passed and in Karratha residents and emergency workers were out cleaning up after a cyclone-fuelled mini-tornado damaged 43 homes in the town on Monday.
He said the red alert for coastal communities could be lifted some time on Wednesday evening.
Schools in the affected coastal region were closed on Wednesday along with many roads.
The Bureau of Meteorology said that by mid-Wednesday afternoon Carlos was west of the North West Cape and was expected to intensify as it continued southwest into open waters.
It said destructive winds with gusts to 140km/h were possible on the cape extending south to Coral Bay, and gales gusting to 100km/h were happening on the cape and likely to extend down to Cuvier Bay.
Communities between Exmouth and Coral Bay have been warned of high tides, rough seas, stream rises and possible flooding of low-lying areas.
Conditions were expected to ease from the east during Wednesday night.
