'Calamity': Destruction as two massive cyclones hit Australia

Two powerful cyclones roared ashore in Australia Friday leaving a trail of destruction with buildings severely damaged, trees uprooted and power lines downed, cutting electricity to thousands of people. Tropical Cyclone Marcia, a category five tempest, slammed into the Queensland coast on Friday with its landfall coming just hours after a second big storm - Cyclone Lam - hit further north. The category four Lam caused extensive damage to remote Aboriginal communities near Elcho Island, some 500 kilometres east of Northern Territory capital Darwin, including Milingimbi, Ramingining, and Gapuwiyak.

There are downed power lines. There are a number of trees down and many roads are impassable and we do have a number of buildings and houses that have been severely damaged.

Regional police commander Bruce Porter

Further south, howling winds and torrential rain had residents hunkering down to wait out the terrifying conditions whipped up by Marcia with authorities warning of a “calamity”. The storm landed near Shoalwater Bay, north of Yeppoon, a town of 16,000 people some 670 kilometres north of Brisbane. It has since been downgraded to a category four. Officials earlier forecast Yeppoon to bear the brunt of the storm’s eye but Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it only “grazed” the town and was now heading for much bigger Rockhampton, home to some 80,000 people.

This is going to be a calamity, no doubt about that.

Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart

Asia-Pacific cyclone