aldona Posted January 9, 2006 Posted January 9, 2006 Looks like it's the Southern Hemisphere's turn to experience some extreme weather... News story here I think Beryl lives much further south, and this shouldn't affect her...but our thoughts and prayers go out to anyone affected... aldona Quote www.asrc.org.au (Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Melbourne)Helping over 2000 refugees & asylum seekers each monthIMSLP/Petrucci Music LibraryThe Public Domain Music Score Library - Free Sheet Music DownloadsLooking for classical sheet music? Try IMSLP first!
Administrators Naomi Posted January 9, 2006 Administrators Posted January 9, 2006 Praying for everyone who may be in it's path. Quote If your dreams are not big enough to scare you, they are not big enough for God
Clio Posted January 9, 2006 Posted January 9, 2006 Uh... Isn't it like... the wrong season or something for cyclones down there? Praying for those in it's path! Clio Quote A heart where He alone has first place.
Moderators Nan Posted January 9, 2006 Moderators Posted January 9, 2006 From the Sydney Morning Herald this morning Power cut as Clare hits WA coast The small WA town of Dampier is bearing the brunt of Cyclone Clare as it brings destructive winds and heavy rain across the state's Pilbara coast. The Bureau of Meteorology said Dampier, population 1000, was in the path of the cyclone's eye wall, packing destructive winds of up to 195kmh, at 11pm WST (0200 Tuesday AEDT). A local State Emergency Services (SES) spokesman said power was out in most homes in Dampier and Karratha, the area's main population centre with 11,000 residents, but there had been no reports of injuries or structural damage, the SES spokesman said. The category three storm had originally been expected to cross the Pilbara coast between Dampier and Mardie, a cattle station south of the town, about 9pm WST, but it had slowed -- from 18kmh to 12kmh -- and was expected three hours later. Clare was now moving erratically as it interacted with the land, but was expected to resume a south-southwesterly track over the next few hours. The winds are expected to ease about 3am WST. The SES spokesman said there had been no reports of injuries or structural damage. He said a destructive storm surge earlier expected to accompany the cyclone would not eventuate. More than 1500 people were evacuated from low-lying areas along the state's north-west coast when the surge had been expected to reach seven metres. But the current forecast was for only a 2m-3m tidal surge, the SES spokesman said. A number of people in the low-lying areas refused to evacuate. Residents in or near the communities of Karratha, Dampier, Roebourne, Wickham, Point Samson, Whim Creek, Nanutarra and Pannawonica remain on Red Alert and advised stay sheltered until further notice. Widespread heavy rain and flooding are expected in the Pilbara and Gascoyne over the next few days. Clare has forced the closure of shipping ports, Karratha airport and some mining operations. Dampier port harbourmaster Vic Justice said the harbour had been cleared of boats but the port would be back in operation by the end of the week. Karratha's port had also been shut. The Pilbara region is home to offshore oil and gas operations and mining operations, including iron ore, salt and nickel operations. BHP Billiton spokeswoman Samantha Evans said the company's iron ore and mining operations were proceeding as usual but shipments could not get out. AAP No Clio, it is summer and the cyclone season here. The most famous/destructive occurred Christmas Eve 1974 when a lot of the northern city of Darwin was demolished. Quote
aldona Posted January 9, 2006 Author Posted January 9, 2006 From "The Australian"... </font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr /> Despite the red alert, about 10 young men could not resist the chance to surf a rare swell in the famously flat waters of Dampier Harbour. The group soon realised the conditions were too dangerous and headed to shore, but two stragglers got into difficulty and had to be rescued by police. Locals raised the alarm as the pair struggled to reach the safety of Sam's Island, about 600m off the shore. "It was traumatic for everyone watching them, that's for sure," said an onlooker who alerted police. "The police couldn't believe anyone would be out there. They had to act really quickly because all their rescue stuff, including their boat, was locked down for the cyclone." <hr /></blockquote><font class="post"> Only in Australia, do (some) people see a Category 3 Storm as an opportunity to go surfing... <img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> And just like the Gulf of Mexico hurricanes, it always seems to be in the areas where the oil and gas platforms are: </font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr /> The mining and oil and gas industries based in the Pilbara battened down as the cyclone approached. More than 400 employees and construction workers were ordered off the job at the North West Shelf gas project on the Burrup Peninsula near Karratha. The $16billion gas project - Australia's biggest resources development - is operating in lock-down mode, with only essential workers remaining at its control room. Offshore, more than 200 workers remained on duty at the North RankinA and GoodwynA gas production platforms. "These platforms are designed to ride out a 100-year storm and our normal procedure is to keep production staff on board and evacuate only non-essential personnel," a Woodside spokeswoman said. "The platforms are continuing to operate, as is the LNG plant atKarratha but, of course, there are no LNG tankers loading because of the closure of the Port of Dampier." Woodside has also shut down its oil operations, sending vessels specially designed to cope with cyclones out to sea. <hr /></blockquote><font class="post"> aldona Quote www.asrc.org.au (Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Melbourne)Helping over 2000 refugees & asylum seekers each monthIMSLP/Petrucci Music LibraryThe Public Domain Music Score Library - Free Sheet Music DownloadsLooking for classical sheet music? Try IMSLP first!
Clio Posted January 9, 2006 Posted January 9, 2006 Ahhh... Yes.... It would be the opposite from our season wouldn't it? Unfortunately, I firmly believe that oil/gas platforms = cyclone/hurricane magnet. Kinda of like tornados seem to seek out trailer parks... Yikes! Does that make oil and gas production platforms the trailer parks of the sea? Quote A heart where He alone has first place.
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