Tropical Cyclone Kirrily: Preparations begin in the Greater Whitsundays
Don’t panic, but start preparing for what could be a repeat of 2017: that’s the message coastal community leaders are urging as soon-to-be Tropical Cyclone Kirrily makes its way towards Queensland.
Mackay
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Coastal authorities are warning residents to prepare for massive rainfall as forecasts expect the incoming Tropical Cyclone Kirrily to dump almost as much water as the disastrous TC Debbie in 2017.
The Bureau of Meterology expect Kirrily to form as a category 3 cyclone on Tuesday and make landfall this week somewhere between Cairns and Mackay, bringing 120km/h winds and “heavy rainfall to areas well south of the crozzing zone late in the week or over the weekend”.
Mackay Regional Council mayor Greg Williamson said the storm need only veer south “a hundred kilometres or so, and it’s Debbie all over again”.
“The thing that’s got us a little bit concerned is that it will go inland, turn south and come back down as a tropical low,” Mr Williamson said.
“And they’re expecting somewhere between 800mLs to a metre of rain in the ranges west of Mackay.
“That’s what Tropical Cyclone Debbie did (and) we had flooding that we’d never seen.”
Local disaster management centres were activated on Monday in Mackay and the Whitsundays, with stockpiles of sandbags being resupplied for potential flooding.
Mr Williamson urged Mackay residents and businesses to be aware of the latest news and prepare “a plan of action” by referring to the checklists within the MRC Emergency Action Guide.
“Don’t be complacent, but don’t be alarmed (as) a community that’s prepared is going to be a community that gets through this well,” he said.
“If you are, on Thursday night, told you need to evacuate, where are you going to go? What are you going to take? What’s the family going to need?”
Whitsunday Regional Council mayor Julie Hall said it was “very crucial that the public stay up to date” and monitor the situation, should a high tide in Airlie Beach worsen coastal flooding.
“With heavy rain and a king tide expected, it’s very important our residents are aware of their storm tide zone,” Ms Hall said.
“That information is available on the council disaster dashboard and our website.”
Ms Hall said authorities “can’t predict” what might happen should the Bruce Highway be flooded over at Lethebrook as in January 2023, but urged “everyknow know their local flood zoning”.
Residents were urged to charge their power banks, refill their gas tanks, check the fuel in their generators, and remove outside objects that could become projectiles in high winds.
Resources for the Mackay region
Mackay Regional Council Disaster Dashboard
Resources for the Whitsunday region
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