Cyclones up North

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I dont know how many of your really understand what we have to go through when a cycone is approaching? So I am going to tell some of it so you will realise the procedures and what we actually do when one is coming. tropical cyclones are a seasionally occurrnig natural haard that can cause considerable loss of life and mterial damage. In Australian North, Cyclone Tracy caused the loss of 55 lives in Darwin on Christmas Day 1974. The most recent loss of life occurred at Onslow during Cyclone Bobby in 1995. The strongest cyclone ever to cross the Australian cost, Servere Tropical Cyclone John crossed north of Karratha near Whim Creek in December 1999. Wickham, Roebourne has also had massive damages to many properties during this time. However, Servere Tropical Cyclone Vance, in March 1999, caused more damage, narrowly missing Karratha and Dampier but causing millions of dollars worth of damage to Onslow and Exmouth. Fortunately no lives were lost. Definition and Occurrence A tropical cyclone is a circular rotating storm of tropical origin in whih the mean wind speed exceeds 63km/h (gale force). Wind speeds in excess of 100km/h are common by teh time a cyclone crosses the coast and higher wind speeds frequently occur. Tropical cyclones are ery reare outside the cyclone 'season' from the beginning of November to the end of April. One cyclones cross the coast, they tend to decay within 24 to 48 hours and the strong central winds die away. Dangerous flooding can occur as heavy rain falls inland. Preparations Clean your residence or work area of unwanted materials or rubbish. They make great weapons when the winds is behind it. Trim trees of excess heightsand growth with withstand high winds. Clear drains of rubbish and obstructions. We do not gutters on our houses or buildings, due to very high volume of rainfall in such a short time. have on hand a stock of emergency supplies eg, first aid kit, candle or torches, batteries for your portable radio, canned food, drinking water containers filled with water, etc. Decide where to shelter the pets. preferbly indoors. Determine the location and establish cyclone tie-down areas for caravans, boats, trailers, etc These can certainly fly around and can do alot of damages. Cyclone Alerts Blue Alert A cyclone has formed and may affect the area within 48 hours. Checek all preparation activities have been undertaken Clear your area of loose materials and rubbish. Check the cyclone screens are in place. Ensure emergency supplies are on hand. Check that caravan, boat, trailer and otehr cyclone tie-down equipment is available. Observe economy in the use of water. Listen to the radio for further informations, watch TV on as they do have flash on the bottom of the screen regarding the whereabout the cyclone is and what alert we are on. Yellow Alert BE READY TO STAY INDOORS A cyclone is moving closer to the area and appears inevitable. Timing will be caluculated by time, places and circumstances. A risk assessment needs to be undertaken by employers and employees to determine when to close buisness and send employees home. The SES will advise as to when they beleive businesses hsould close but it will ultimately be the employers have a duty of care and could be held responsible. Carry outthe following activities. Ensure all above in Blue Alert are done. Top up vehicles fuel tanks. Fill emergency containers with water and make sure all other emergency supplies are on hand. Prepare shelters for animals, preferbly inside. Secure caravans, trailers, boats in their tie down positions. Check cyclone screens are secured. Red Alert DO NOT LEAVE THE BUILDING UNLES IN DANGER A cyclone is imminent Make arrangement to be in your residence and or shelter when cyclone arrives. Make sure animals are in their sheltered area. When parking vehicles, select the best place to park it in sheltered area (carport)apply handbrake and engage park or reverse gear. As wind velocities increase, shut all windows. During the height of the cyclone, keep clear of windows, and stay in the most sheltered part of your residence. Should the eye of the cyclone pass immediately over the area, be aware that the wind will temporarily drop, then blow in the opposite direction. Except in extreme emergencies, stay indoors until the cyclone ALL CLEAR is ANNOUNCED. If you are caught in the cyclone in an unprotected aeas, make your way , stopping or crawling if necessary, to shelter. Otherwise lie down and hang on. Continue to listen to your radio for up-to-date instructions affecting the area. many people just do not understand what we have to go through when a cyclone is coming. Cyclone eyes can be as wide as 100km to just 2km wide. Cyclones are huge and they have the tendancies to move in any direction, even at veryshort notices. Also cyclones travels at different speeds. The faster they are the less they are likely to be destructive compared to the ones like John and Vance when they slowed down certainly build up in wind and rain. All buildings up in these cyclone areas are built to with stand Cylone rated 2. Thebuildings do not have gutters as well. It is very common to have massive floodings up here. Many rivers you see are not big but with huge flooding these rivers can be up to 10-20 times the size you see. After a cyclone has been, many of us are out to clean up what mess it has left behind. Sometimes it can take weeks, up to months and some even years to get it back to the way it should be. Also to also let you know that the people who does the cleaning up are SES, Fire Brigade, Ambulance Services, these people are all volunteers. Police also do help out in closing the roads for safety etc. I hope this has helped alot of people understand the things we have to go through when a cyclone comes!