ON THE RADAR
A POTENTIAL cyclone could hit the Far North by Sunday, sparking calls for residents to prepare.
There is now a high chance that a low pressure system hovering in the Coral Sea, south of Papua New Guinea, will develop into a tropical cyclone tomorrow.
It is forecast to drift south for the next 24 to 36 hours before turning west towards the tropical Queensland coast.
If it hits it will be called Cyclone Debbie.
The weather bureau has put towns and cities between Cooktown and Mackay on high alert as emergency services urge residents to make sure they have adequate food supplies, medication and drinking water.
The bureau’s Cairns-based forecaster Andrew Mostyn said, if it reached the coast on Sunday, it would be a category 1 cyclone. “I think it is going to stay out there a little bit longer and the longer it stays out in the ocean, the more intense it becomes,” he said.
“We are more looking to it reaching us by Monday or Tuesday and if, it does that, it will probably be more in that mid-range category. Cyclones tend to strengthen by category per day as they move towards the coast in favourable conditions. Obviously the longer time it spends over the ocean, the more energy it has.”
SES regional director Wayne Coutts has called on residents to get prepared with plenty of food, fuel, gas, cash and medication.
“All those things to make themselves self-sufficient for three days plus,” he said.
“We are ready-as. The groups are all fired up. We are at that point when we have the expectation of a system.
“The best thing we can do is encourage the public to take steps to look after themselves so they don’t become a burden when we are trying to respond to others who suffer major damage.”
Far North police Acting Chief Superintendent Brett Schafferius, who heads the region’s district disaster management group, said emergency services were ready.
“We are continuing to monitor it and we are keeping in touch with all partner agencies,” he said.
The group, which includes agencies from Cardwell through to the Torres Strait, is expected to take part in a telephone link-up today to begin finalising preparations.