Residents along the North Coast of Australia are feeling the wrath of Severe Cyclone Monica this morning. The cyclone, which is what Australians call their tropical cyclones, is moving along the North Coast. Packing sustained winds of 170 mph, the category five cyclone is making landfall this morning (evening in Australia) near Goulbum Island at the base of the Cobourg Peninsula.
So far, Monica has stayed far enough offshore to prevent significant damage. Officials are hoping that trend continues, but it does not look likely. Evacuations have been ordered in the expected landfall area. Designated cyclone shelters have been prepared and residents have been told to determine where they will ride out the storm. There are large lines (queues) at supermarkets and gas (petrol) stations.
After making landfall, Monica will skim just inland, curving to a point about 40 miles south of Darwin Tuesday morning (afternoon Australian time.) By then, it should still have top winds of 150 mph. This could be very devastating to the territorial capital city. They remember all too well the devastation caused by Cyclone Tracy early on Christmas morning 1974, when much of the city was destroyed.
Officially rated as a Category Four cyclone at landfall, Tracy was likely actually a Category Five storm. Over seventy percent of the buildings in the city were destroyed. A total of seventy one died in the disaster. Twenty thousand people were left homeless.
So far, Monica has stayed far enough offshore to prevent significant damage. Officials are hoping that trend continues, but it does not look likely. Evacuations have been ordered in the expected landfall area. Designated cyclone shelters have been prepared and residents have been told to determine where they will ride out the storm. There are large lines (queues) at supermarkets and gas (petrol) stations.
After making landfall, Monica will skim just inland, curving to a point about 40 miles south of Darwin Tuesday morning (afternoon Australian time.) By then, it should still have top winds of 150 mph. This could be very devastating to the territorial capital city. They remember all too well the devastation caused by Cyclone Tracy early on Christmas morning 1974, when much of the city was destroyed.
Officially rated as a Category Four cyclone at landfall, Tracy was likely actually a Category Five storm. Over seventy percent of the buildings in the city were destroyed. A total of seventy one died in the disaster. Twenty thousand people were left homeless.