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Thousands Take Shelter as Cyclone Debbie Lashes Australian Coastal Region

by Reuters

   SYDNEY --

   Coastal areas in northeast Australia were battered by high winds and
   heavy rainfall on Tuesday as a powerful cyclone, which prompted
   authorities to urge some 30,000 people to evacuate, hit island resorts
   along the world-famous Great Barrier Reef.

   Cyclone Debbie was upgraded overnight to a category four storm, just
   one rung below the most dangerous wind speed level. Authorities warned
   it could reach level five by the time it makes landfall around 2 p.m.
   local time (0300 GMT).

   Wind gusts of more than 220 km per hour (135 mph) lashed resorts in the
   Whitsunday Islands, where tourists waited out the storm in hotel rooms.

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

   Authorities stockpiled food and fuel, and the army was on standby to
   deal with the aftermath. However, as winds cut power to about 23,000
   people, emergency response crews were also hunkered down until the
   storm blew over.