Cyclone Hits Australia

[40]

Not sure if any of our Aussie Pals live in the area devastated by Cyclone Larry but it looks pretty bad on the news.Sounds like lots of material devastation but fortunately, minimal personal injury/loss of life.Wish everyone involved the best,especially our Aussie rodding friends!

[enjenjo]

I saw that on the news. Hopefully they can recover quickly.

[Mr Cool]

It appears (so far) that none of our members on ozrodders have been affected, except for minor damage like a fence.
To put this into perspective this storm was even worse than the recent events you guys had in New Orleans. The only advantage we have over the New Orleans disaster is that the town is above sea level so it isnt under water, although 300mm overnight a day after the main storm certainly does some more damage too.
Im way down south no-where near them, but the word is that it will take many years to get the bananas back to full production, and out laws dont allow inports so prices have been doubled in less than 2 days on this one product alone. the cyclone has wiped out 80% of this countrys production completely.
Now some will say big deal, but this one industry employs many thousands of people which are now all displaced and out of work, so add to that 20% of all the sugar industry gone, houses and posessions gone with families living in their cars, no water, power or sewers and youve got a serious health problem too.
The devastation is incredible, the local news been covering this extensively and our govt has come up with a multi million dollar rescue plan, with really cheap loans etc for those wanting to rebuild.
Im kind of glad I dont live there.

[40]

Thanks for the report.....Glad our rodding friends were mostly directly unaffected but still sad to see that kind of devastation.Looks like the price of bananas will be going up!

[Mr Cool]

His report here for those interested.
http://www.ozrodders.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=6619

[ram-rod]

4 days in  and our govt and leaders are moving  they have given the big job to a small group of highly skilled people  
general cosgrove (retired army)
chairwoman of the olimpic games logistics and housing


the army has flown in high voltage electricity towers using a chinook helicopter    
the emergency services  and trades people are getting free flights a to the hardest hit places

[ram-rod]

further to my last post the electricity is back on to about 5 stores in the town of inisvale  the sewer and fresh water are back on also

there were five army helicopters on the news footage

[bucketmouth]

I feel for our friends on the east coast of oz. I hope things improve quickly for them and their lives return back to normality as soon as.
For me I work on a tiny island of the west coast of oz and lucky me got flown off 3 days early because of a cyclone that is weakening and the second one coming behind it. They're nothing like the big ones that have hit elsewhere so it's good to be home early for some r and r.