Cyclone hits Australia

[Moonbear]

CAIRNS, Australia (AP) - Metal roofs littered streets, wooden houses lay in splinters and banana plantations were stripped bare after the most powerful cyclone to hit Australia in three decades lashed the country's eastern coast Monday.

Amazingly, the storm caused no reported fatalities, and only 30 people suffered minor injuries. But the damage from Cyclone Larry, a Category 5 storm with winds up to 180 mph, was expected to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060320/D8GFJG6O0.html

At least there were only minor injuries among the people, but it sounds like the farmers in the area have had their crops devastated...bananas and sugar cane. There was damage to the Great Barrier Reef as well.

I hope all our Australian members are safe and sound and far from this region.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

ACK! I forget where Alexandra is! I hope she's ok.

 

[Astronuc]

Alex is out west. The cyclone hit Queensland on the northeast coast around Cairns.

I have a few friends and maybe some cousins up that way. Still waiting to find out how folks are.

 

[Moonbear]

I have a few friends and maybe some cousins up that way. Still waiting to find out how folks are.

I hope they are all okay.

 

[Astronuc]

El Hombre Invisible just checked in by email. He's fine and about to head to NZ.