looking into the eye of the storm

[Let's talk about the weather! ...and when it becomes dangerous.]

Today is a day to talk about storms. Storms in Australia and America, the whole world seems to be storming right now, especially following the upheaval in Egypt which is only now seeming to reach its peak. But this time we're talking about storms in their most literal sense.
The Northeast coast of Australia is being hit by a massive tropical cyclone by the name of Yasi tonight, landfall was approximately midnight and this category 5 cyclone defeats all others as far as setting records. Many accounts suggest this is the worst cyclone in Australia's history. As a cyclone of records big numbers are to be expected, but even this is mind boggling. Meteorologists have predicted winds of up to 350 km/hr with current winds topping 290. The storm surge is predicted to reach 20 feet above the normal highest tide and the sheer size of the eye of the cyclone is staggering, 80km in length with the storm cloud itself almost the size of Queensland (which could fit Germany inside it five times with room for a few other smaller European countries). But this is not my main point today, rather I'd like to talk about the preparation for this storm which rivals Hurricane Katrina in size and ferocity. However the big difference here, apart from the fact that, mercifully, the eye of the storm is passing over a number of Austrlian cities and towns much smaller than New Orleans, is the preparation for this natural enemy.

The biggest cities to be hit by eye of the storm is the small city of Cairns with a population of approximately 164,000 people and the city of Townsville with 180,000. Cairns is where much of the preparations were based. The Australian army troops were seen in the streets assisting evacuation of low lying areas, the first mandatory evacuation of its kind seen in Australia. All the patients of the Cairns hospital were moved to Brisbane hospital, the critical patients airlifted out by airforce helicopters as early as meteorologists could track the course – over 24 hours before predicted landfall. Evacuation centres were set up, the largest in Cairns a home to over 2000 people for what could be an extended period, most likely over 24 hours as the storm rages. The state government stayed in contact with citizens through hourly updates and through text messages sent widely through local telephone carrier companies. The response was instantaneous thanks to early warning systems and the hope that lives could be spared through quick action. The Queensland Premier said, in a blunt and chilling piece of advice 'Do not bother to pack bags, just grab each other and get to a place of safety. People are irreplaceable.' 

This effort is in stark contrast to the bungled efforts in New Orleans in the lead up to Hurricane Katrina, if 'efforts' can even be the right word here, not to mention the disastrous response in its wake. The US government under the leadership of George W. Bush seemed to do everything wrong that it was possible to. In New Orleans the first mandatory evacuation orders were given but it was almost impossible for many people to follow considering the fact that public transportation was shut down well in advance, little help was given to those without private means of transport and many care-giving facilities had no means of evacuating their patients. Many people in the most vulnerable position were forced to stay, given no other choice, no help and ultimately no future.

The comparison is curious, category five vs category five, evacuation vs evacuation. But until tomorrow we won't see how Australia fares. Lets keep our fingers crossed that their preparations meant the difference between life and death for them in a way they didn't for many of the people of New Orleans.

Daily laugh: Yes, even when facing a storm that Australian sense of humour jumps out and bites you on the Yasi, if you don't get what I mean have a look!