This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-31544694

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Australia storms: Cyclones hit Queensland and Northern Territory Australia storms: Cyclones hit Queensland and Northern Territory
(about 7 hours later)
Two major storms have slammed into Australia, bringing winds that have knocked out power to homes and forced evacuations in coastal areas. Two major storms have slammed into Australia, knocking out power, damaging homes and forcing evacuations in coastal areas.
Tropical Cyclone Marcia hit the Queensland coast between St Lawrence and Yeppoon. Tropical Cyclone Marcia hit the Queensland coast between Yeppoon and St Lawrence on Friday morning local time.
Arriving as a Category Five storm, it has now been downgraded to a Three but forecasters are warning of heavy rain and abnormally high tides. Arriving with little warning as a Category Five storm, it has now been downgraded to a Two but still threatens high tides and heavy rain.
Separately, Tropical Cyclone Lam hit the Northern Territory. Separately, Tropical Cyclone Lam hit a remote area of the Northern Territory.
Lam, which arrived as a Category Four, struck Elcho Island and is moving south-west. Local residents said roofs had been torn off from a number of houses and trees uprooted. 'Terrifying experience'
There have been no reports of injuries there, and the storm was later downgraded to Category Two as it continued moving inland. In its latest update, the BOM said Marcia had weakened to a Category Two cyclone, with sustained winds of 110km/h (72mph) and gusts of up to 155km/h.
'Real moving beast' It was about about 60km west of the town of Gladstone, Queensland and 65km north-northeast of Biloela, and moving south-southeast at 18 kmh but expected to weaken below cyclone strength by Saturday morning.
In its latest update, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said Marcia was expected to move south and gradually weaken. The BoM warned of abnormally high tides and said people in coastal areas should be ready evacuate if necessary.
"The very destructive core... with gusts to 205 km/h (127mph), is currently impacting the Yeppoon and Rockhampton areas," it said. Earlier on Friday, the storm passed through Rockhampton and Yeppoon, where Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said people of had gone through a "terrifying experience".
Destructive winds were expected to extend further south and inland across the Capricornia and Burnett districts, it added. "We are very, very thankful that we have avoided the worst of what could've been an absolute catastrophe if those winds had escalated and the Category Five had gone straight over Yeppoon," she told reporters in Brisbane.
Local residents should be prepared for an evacuation if advised by the authorities, the BoM added. It also warned about possible tidal and flash flooding. Ms Palaszczuk said earlier that 33,000 residences were without power in the Livingstone/Yeppoon area and 20,000 in Rockhampton.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said there had been no reports of injuries to people but some reports were coming in of minor structural damage to homes and uprooted trees. There were no reports of injuries, but some homes and businesses suffered significant structural damage, she tweeted.
Ms Palaszczuk said 33,000 residences were without power in the Livingstone/Yeppoon area and 20,000 in Rockhampton.
More than 170 schools and child care centres have been closed, and people evacuated or moved to safety on both Lady Elliot Island and Heron Island, on the Great Barrier Reef.
In Yeppoon, about 870 homes were evacuated because of storm surges, according to Queensland emergency authorities.In Yeppoon, about 870 homes were evacuated because of storm surges, according to Queensland emergency authorities.
Images from the area showed uprooted trees and houses with walls or roofs blown off. More than 170 schools and childcare centres had been closed, and people evacuated or moved to safety on both Lady Elliot Island and Heron Island, on the Great Barrier Reef.
St Brendan's College, a Catholic day and boarding high school in Yeppoon, is being used by emergency services as one of the evacuation centres for local residents. The mayor of Rockhampton, Margaret Strelow, told ABC Radio that Marcia was like "a real moving beast" as it appeared to head first to the west of the city and then to the east.
Principal Nick Scully told the BBC that about 220 students had left the school on Thursday to travel home to their families but another 40 boys, mostly from the Torres Strait Islands in northern Australia, remained at the school.
About 350 local residents are sheltering in the school's chapel.
"The winds are starting to pick up, there are some thumping noises and the trees are being pushed down," said Mr Scully.
"But it has not hit that freight train-like noise [some cyclones get] so I think we are a little way away from the worst," he said.
The mayor of the nearby town of Rockhampton, Margaret Strelow, told ABC Radio that Marcia was like "a real moving beast" as it appeared to head first to the west of the city and then to the east.
Further south, local media reported that 90,000 sandbags had so far been handed out across Queensland's major city, Brisbane, because of predictions of heavy rain and flooding.Further south, local media reported that 90,000 sandbags had so far been handed out across Queensland's major city, Brisbane, because of predictions of heavy rain and flooding.
Describing the cyclone as "very serious", Prime Minister Tony Abbott said: "Let's hope we can get through it... without any loss of life." Describing the cyclone as "very serious", Prime Minister Tony Abbott said: "Let's hope we can get through it without any loss of life."
In 2013, powerful tropical cyclone Oswald hit Queensland, killing at least four people and flooding wide areas. Roads impassable
Cyclone Lam, which arrived as a Category Four, struck close to the tiny and remote indigenous settlements of Elcho and Goulburn Island, east of Darwin.
Some communities had been evacuated ahead of the storm, but others spent the day in emergency shelters.
Regional police commander Bruce Porter said Elcho Island had no power or water, and that there had been "substantial" damage.
"Initial reports are the airstrip is still intact but covered with debris," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying.
"There are downed power lines. There are a number of trees down and many roads are impassable and we do have a number of buildings and houses that have been severely damaged."
Lam has now been downgraded to a tropical low, but Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) warned of further "squally thunderstorms" and high tides.
Are you in Queensland? Have you been affected by the storm? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience. Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist.Are you in Queensland? Have you been affected by the storm? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience. Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist.
Have your sayHave your say
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here.Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here.
Read the terms and conditions.Read the terms and conditions.