No casualties as cyclone slams into Queensland coast, but alerts remain
While no casualties reported and destruction limited, warnings remain as storm heads south
A tropical cyclone battered Australia's Barrier Reef coast yesterday, knocking out power and phone lines for thousands and threatening floods, despite weakening as it headed south towards major tourist resorts.
Tens of thousands of people hunkered down overnight as strong gales and heavy rains lashed the far north, but there were no reports of casualties or major destruction as Cyclone Ita was downgraded to a category one storm.
Ita crossed the coast near Cape Flattery late on Friday as a category four storm packing winds up to 230km/h, tearing off roofs and uprooting trees.
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said several thousand people across the far north of the state had lost electricity and warned that Cyclone Ita "continues to be a threat".
"I am greatly relieved at this time that we have no reports of either death or injury," he said, while urging people to stay indoors or in shelters "until this is properly over".
