SEVERE CYCLONE INGRID THREAT TO NORTHERN QUEENSLAND

08/03/2005 - Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell and Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Greg Hunt MP, today said there were services available to help Australians prepare for and monitor tropical Cyclone Ingrid.
At 1 pm EST, the tropical cyclone was located 270 km northeast of Cooktown and 300 km east of Cape Melville and moving westwards at 8 km/hour. Ingrid is classified as a category five cyclone, the highest category. If Ingrid maintains intensity it would be the most intensive cyclone to cross the Queensland coast since a major cyclone hit Innisfail in 1918.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ingrid has a very destructive core with estimated wind gusts to 290 km/hr and poses a serious threat to the far north Queensland coast. The current warning area extends from Lockart River to Port Douglas, with a watch area including Cairns and as far south as Innisfail. The warning area will be refined as the cyclone moves closer to the coast.

The services include:

The Brisbane Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre is issuing top priority tropical cyclone advice every three hours with updated estimates on the position, movement and severity of the cyclone via radio and television;
In addition, continuous warnings and satellite images are available on the Bureau's web site (www.bom.gov.au);
Special advice on the possibility of a storm tide driven by winds and low pressure is also available via the website; and
There is also continuous website access to the latest threat map showing the area of destructive winds and the areas on the coast where gales can be expected within the next 24 hours at www.bom.gov.au under Warnings.
The Bureau's Queensland Regional Office is maintaining close contact with Queensland Emergency Services.