Across Continents

Ken's Blog

Picture emerging

February 4th, 2011

Now almost twenty four hours on since Cyclone Yasi hit the coast of northern Queensland. Biggest to impact on mainland Australia in living memory. Wreaking devastation over a vast area. Ploughing far into the hinterland. Reaching towns and settlements that haven’t seen a cyclone for decades. The full extent of the damage is unlikely to become clear for a few more days. Emergency services still battling their way through to some communities. So far at least, just one life has been lost. Tragic of course. But not the deadly event everyone had feared.

I’d wondered why this might be. Mostly likely a combination of factors. Plain experience. Met one seasoned Queenslander. Her eighth cyclone. Had long since cut down trees and large foliage close to her home. Anything that could inflict damage in high winds. Emptied the freezer for the cyclone season. Just in case the power went off. Stock of tinned food in the cupboard.

Then there’s the sheer volume of information. You really can’t say you didn’t know. Some pretty frank advice. No melodramas. No infuriating political correctness. The authorities having the confidence of the public. Media trusted to help get word out without hype or distortion. It works. Team effort written all over it. When Premier Anna Bligh tells residents of low-lying coastal settlements to "run" – don’t even stop to pack a bag – you know she means it. I wouldn’t even grab my toothbrush.

And it’s not just the State Government that seems to take a very honest approach. Emergency services. Local mayors. Utility companies. Realistic predictions for the restoration of services. Explaining what the problems are, the difficulties to be overcome. Priorities for repair. And not forgetting the Bureau of Meteorology. Without whom we’d, quite literally, we’d not have seen any of this coming.

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Resuming normal service

February 4th, 2011

Cairns has survived Cyclone Yasi relatively unscathed. But not without some damage to infrastructure. Power to much of the city only just being restored. Mobile communications patchy. Internet access flaky. Very slow at best. Many of the roads out blocked by downed trees or flooding. The sheer scale means it will take time for things to be restored.

I’ve a few video clips to share. Some shot during the height of the storm, others recording the aftermath. Plenty of photos. And aware of a quite a lot of messages waiting on Facebook. E-mails to reply to. Be assured I’ll tackle all of these just as soon as services are restored. Until then, please be patient.

You should see a couple of posts shortly that are quite unconnected with Cyclone Yasi. That’s because they’ve already been uploaded to the website. Scheduled to appear over the new few nights.

And if you’re wondering how this post appears. Well, I’ve one or two tricks up my sleeve. Made sure, as a solo traveller, I’ve generally got a few, fairly robust, options to get messages out. Devised with remote regions of the world in mind. Hadn’t imagined I’d need them for Australia.

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Cyclone Yasi – Darkening skies

February 2nd, 2011

Skies - web

Cairns, northern Queensland.

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Cyclone Yasi – Taking shelter

February 2nd, 2011

Streets deserted. Shops boarded up. The odd car. Public transport suspended. Couple of local shopping centres turned into makeshift evacuation centres. Now full. Those fleeing low lying areas ahead of the expected tidal storm surge advised to find shelter with family, friends. Anywhere they can.

Bunkered down in a hotel. Quite a few locals. A few familiar faces. Seeking safety. Groups of Chinese tourists. Looking a little confused. Recognisable by their innate inability to former orderly queues. Chaos at breakfast apparently. I’d done my own thing. Far too pricey for a bowl of cereal.

Paul - web

Joined now by Rowan, Yuki and Paul from the hostel. Invited over for coffee. Quite a few. Usual house rules – room guest out by 11 pm – simply don’t apply. Not tonight.

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Cyclone Yasi – Final preparations

February 2nd, 2011

Final preparations from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Rowan, manager of the Travellers Castle hostel, describes final preparations for the arrival of Cyclone Yasi

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Cyclone Yasi – The day before

February 2nd, 2011

The day before from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Preparing for the arrival of Cyclone Yasi

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Cyclone survival kit

February 2nd, 2011

Cyclone survival kit from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Ken prepares his cyclone survival kit

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Cyclone Yasi – Waiting game

February 2nd, 2011

Ten am. Twelve hours to impact. When the eye is expected to reach the coast. Upgraded to high Category 5. Nothing this big has ever hit the country. Not since records began. Unknown territory.

Strangely calm in Cairns. Unnervingly so. Waiting game. Winds building. Likely to increase rapidly over the next few hours as the system closes land.

Reports just in advise Yasi has crossed Willis Island off the Queensland coast. Weather station lost. Hoping the beleaguered meteorological staff safely in their bunker.

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Cyclone Yasi – bunkering down

February 1st, 2011

Provisions - web

Refuge prepared. Windowless bathroom. Stocked with enough provisions to last at least a week. Emma, my trusty steed, stowed under the sink. Still got to ride to Sydney. At some point.

Stowed - web

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Cyclone Yasi – Cairns – the scene beforehand

February 1st, 2011

SunriseWed - web

First light in Cairns. Eerie. Awaiting the imminent arrival of Cyclone Yasi. Now upgraded to maximum Category 5. Winds over two hundred miles an hour. It may be a very different scene tomorrow morning..

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