Cyclone Yasi has begun to batter towns and cities across north Queensland, tearing down trees and damaging houses about 5 hours before the eye of the storm is expected to cross the coast.
To keep up to date with warnings, stay on track with the Queensland Police via Twitter and Facebook.
Innisfail Mayor Bill Shannon said he had already seen the roof torn from a building near the council chambers where 500 people are sheltering.
"The eye is five hours away and it's already causing damage so it's pretty worrying," he told AAP.
Cassowary Coast councillor Ross Sorbello, a Tully resident, said trees had been torn down in nearby El Arish and Cardwell.
"We're just hoping and praying we can all get through the night," he said. "The winds are probably getting up to 100 kilometres an hour which is worrying when we are this far out (from the eye)."
However, he said he was more concerned about the potential loss of life than damage to property.
"We can rebuild the houses, the important thing is staying alive, I don't want to see people die."
Mr Shannon said the council had used the experience of Cyclone Larry, which virtually destroyed the town in 2006, to prepare for Yasi's arrival. "We're confident that we've done all we could, we've evacuated 8000 people in the space of a few hours."
"We've just got to wait it out and hope that nature is kind to us." Innisfail correspondent Duncan Paterson said winds had picked up to a noisy 100km/h, lights were flickering, and the roof of the Canegrowers' building in the centre of Innisfail was beginning to lift.
Winds of 290km/h are predicted for the Category 5 cyclone which is expected to hit the coast just south of Innisfail at about midnight Queensland time.
Mr Paterson is one of 70 people sheltering in the Rising Sun building in the centre of Innisfail while about 500 hundred more are sheltered in the town hall, showgrounds buildings, backpacker hostels, and a purpose built cyclone-rated hall at the local TAFE college.
"A few birds are getting really wet and coming into the buildings, sheltering under the eaves," he said.
"A chemist shop on the corner here had a huge glass panel. It's blown off and there's shattered glass underneath it.
"The streets are all empty, of course, and the power's on but it won't be on for much longer," Mr Paterson said.
Gale force winds have started to hit Cairns but there have been no reports of major damage at this time. Townsville resident Wil Kemp said the city was being hit with heavy rain and strong winds. "I wouldn't go outside, normally when leaves come off trees they fall down, these ones are going up.
Share
