Schools to close as Marcia moves in

Queenslanders have been urged to take care and batten down the hatches as Cyclone Marcia approaches. Source: AAP

SOME residents on the central Queensland coast have been told to evacuate as category four Tropical Cyclone Marcia tracks towards land.

MORE than 100 schools and childcare centres along the central and southeast coast will be closed on Friday with Marcia expected to cross the coast as a category five storm, unleashing gusts up to 295km/h.

It is expected to make landfall between Saint Lawrence and Gladstone about 7am on Friday.Marcia has slowed over the past few hours as it moves in a south-southwest direction, however, the weather bureau hasn't downgraded its predicted intensity.Wind gusts up to 270km/h have been recorded near the cyclone which was about 195km north-northeast of Saint Lawrence late on Thursday night.A severe weather warning is in place from Double Island Point south to the NSW border and inland to the Great Dividing Range, with strong winds and torrential rain predicted to impact parts of the central and the entire southeast coast on Friday.Gales and heavy rain were already being felt along the Capricornia Coast.Destructive winds are expected to hit coastal areas from Mackay to Burnett Heads, extending north to Bowen as well as inland areas into Friday.Thunderstorms that could unleash gusts up to 125km/h are forecast to hit areas between Saint Lawrence and Hervey Bay as Marcia draws closer to the coast.Queensland Fire and Emergency Services has issued an alert warning coastal residents in the Isaac region to leave immediately or seek shelter in a safe place.Ogmore and Marlborough residents have been told urgent evacuation is strongly recommended, and a storm tide watch and act warning has been issued for some areas in Gladstone.Residents between Mackay and Double Island Point are being told to prepare to shelter in a safe place, while all those in affected areas are being warned to ensure large items in their yards are secure.A cyclone warning from Bowen to Mackay has been cancelled.The weather bureau has been warning of dangerous surf, abnormally high tides and heavy rainfall from central Queensland to the southeast coast.A flood watch is current for the Wide Bay and Burnett, Southeast Coast and the Darling Downs and Granite Belt District forecast districts.On Thursday, the Department of Education issued a list of more than 100 schools and childcare centres that will be closed on Friday.Education Minister Kate Jones said in a Tweet: "This is the 2nd time in 15 yrs Education Queensland has pre-emptively closed schools & comes at the request of DDMG tonight. #TCMarcia."Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk held a meeting of the Disaster Management Committee in Brisbane on Thursday where she and several of her new ministers were briefed by emergency authorities."It is important all Queenslanders brace themselves for heavy rain," she said."This is a serious event. It has changed drastically since this morning."Cyclone centres have been opened in Yeppoon, Proserpine and Mackay.Rockhampton Airport will be closed until at least Friday afternoon and other airports are expected to close.SEQ Water has advised the Wappa Dam, just inland from the Sunshine Coast, is completely full, meaning forecasted rainfall will significantly swell the Maroochy River.Torrential rain is expected hit the entire southeast coast on Friday, with up to 400mm predicted in some areas, as the storm tracks south.

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Schools to close as Marcia moves in

Dengan url

http://petanidollarindo.blogspot.com/2015/02/schools-to-close-as-marcia-moves-in.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Schools to close as Marcia moves in

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Schools to close as Marcia moves in

sebagai sumbernya