Tropical Cyclone Kirrily crashes into Queensland coast at Townsville
Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has made landfall, crossing the Queensland coast near Townsville about 8pm (AEST).
Kirrily was upgraded to a category two system on Thursday morning and later reached category three status, which is what is now battering the state’s northeast.
It is reportedly the strongest cyclone to threaten Townsville in more than 50 years, when Althea arrived on Christmas Eve in 1971.
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A warning zone ranges from Innisfail to Bowen and extending inland to Charters Towers.
The intense system will deliver sustained winds of about 120km/h and damaging gusts of up to 170km/h.
A deluge of intense rainfall will spread inland overnight and during Friday, with the potential for “life-threatening” flash flooding possible near the track of the system.
“From Friday, the system is likely to track further inland as a tropical low, resulting in heavy to intense rain and possible damaging winds to parts of the northern interior and western Queensland,” the Bureau of Meteorology said.
Kirrily will weaken as it moves inland.
Thousands of people took shelter in preparation for Kirrily’s arrival and the ADF is on standby, along with extra police officers.
“You really don’t want to be outdoors with some of these gusts,” Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said earlier.
“It could drop a tree branch, it could pick up a piece of rubbish and hit you.
“That’s why we are asking people to stay indoors.”
People have turned to evacuation centres, with hundreds of emergency services on standby across the north.
Premier Steven Miles has pre-emptively declared a disaster and requested federal and state assistance.
“We’re prepared and ready for the worst. Now we wait and hope for the best,” Miles said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the federal government is working with Queensland authorities “closely”.
“Our ADF personnel have already been assisting with preparation — and remain on standby to assist local emergency services,” he said.
