Power outages affect Whitsunday residents as Cyclone Kirrily approaches Qld

TC Kirrily has been upgraded to a Category 3 system as it moved towards the coast with Whitsunday communities warned to brace for potential wild weather. LATEST

Kirrily has been upgraded to a Category 3 system as it moved towards the coast with Whitsunday communities warned to brace for potential wild weather.

An emergency alert has been issued for Bowen and surrounding areas as Whitsunday Disaster Management Group warned the region will be impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Kirrily with very destructive winds likely from Thursday night.

Residents are advised to stay off the road and take shelter now.

The Bureau of Meteorology estimates that Kirrily will cross near Townsville on Thursday night as a Category 3 with wind gusts up to 165km/h.

Gales with damaging wind gusts are occurring over Whitsunday Islands and are expected to move to mainland communities between Ayr and Sarina later today.

Destructive wind gusts up to 155km/h may develop about coastal communities between Bowen and Ayr Thursday evening. Picture: BOM

Destructive wind gusts up to 155km/h may develop about coastal communities between Bowen and Ayr Thursday evening.

Kirrily is expected to weaken on Friday as it moves inland.

Bowen residents have been warned to brace for intense rainfall that could lead to life threatening flash flooding as Tropical Cyclone Kirrily tracks further south as it nears the coast.

It is expected to make landfall later Thursday night with the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest forecast map indicating somewhere between Ayr and Townsville.

The current warning zone spans from Innisfail to Sarina with the Whitsundays already being lashed by wind gusts exceeding 100km/h.

Coastal and Island communities between Bowen and Ayr have been warned heavy rain leading to flash flooding is likely to develop about coastal areas and inland between Bowen and Tully this afternoon.

Intense rainfall leading to dangerous and life threatening flash flooding is possible near the track of the system.

Residents between Bowen and Ingham should complete preparations quickly and pre ready to shelter in a safe place.

BOM update as at 12pm

Power has been restored to more than 1200 people across the Whitsundays, but 455 remain without electricity at Gregory River.

An Ergon spokeswoman said 50,000 customers in Far North Queensland were left without power during Cyclone Jasper and to expect higher numbers in North Queensland under TC Kirrily.

The 1250 customers without power in Proserpine had electricity restored by 12.15pm.

Trees and branches started falling on powerlines, causing power outages to an increasing number of residents across the region.

@kirsteyandjacko 🌀 That is not a floating dock. Thats how high the tide is #cyclonekirrily#cyclone#cyclonejasper♬ original sound - Kirstey & Jacko

Early this morning, 455 people were affected in the suburbs of Gregory, Gregory River, Mount Julian, Strathdickie, and Woree after a tree fell on a powerline.

“Crews were able to attend and make appropriate repairs,” the spokeswoman said.

Trees had also damaged power lines around the Proserpine area affecting about 800 customers.

“Crews are heading out there to assess the damage,” the Ergon spokeswoman said.

“It will reach a point where it’s not safe for them to go out and about for repairs.

“Also, it doesn’t make sense for them to repair things because it might break again.”

The spokeswoman warned residents to prepare for extensive periods of time without power as a result.

Strathdickie resident Jennie Vivoda expressed her sympathy for the “poor Ergon guys and gals working in this weather”.

The BOM upgraded TC Kirrily to a Category 2 as of 10am Thursday with areas from Innisfail south to Sarina warned to expect gale force winds within the next 24 hours with 115km/h winds already recorded on Hamilton Island.

Multiple premises across the Whitsunday region have already closed to the public or were planning to shut early, including Woolworths Bowen.

Transport was also being affected with various services cancelled or delayed.

Whitsunday Transit announced it had suspended all route services to Shute Harbour from 9am “due to unsafe wind gusts” and would provide updates on all routes as “things change”.

Optus residents have been warned the network may be affected by the incoming cyclone.

Whitsunday Coast Airport stated it was monitoring TC Kirrily and regularly meeting with authorities and key stakeholders.

“We have been advised by all airline partners that they expect disruptions to scheduled flights,” WCA posted on Facebook.

“If you have a flight booked in or out of Whitsunday Coast Airport, please contact your airline directly for further information.”

Police officers are urging the public to not behave “reckless(ly)” during the severe weather event, after a 37-year-old driver was allegedly caught drink-driving a buggy on Hamilton Island on Wednesday night while more than three times the legal blood alcohol limit.

Whitsunday region residents can stay up to date via the council’s Emergency Dashboard at disaster.whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au

The dashboards list the latest road closures and conditions, weather warnings, power outages, river heights, flood cameras, cyclone tracking maps, emergency contacts including the State Emergency Service and Queensland Fire and Rescue Service numbers, airport closures, and the locations of active evacuation centres.