Australia’s Norfolk Island prepares for worst storm in 30 years as Cyclone Gabriel approaches

userFebruary 11, 2023

Key Point

Tropical Cyclone Gabriel is predicted to bring strong winds and high waves to parts of Norfolk Island.
A Category 2 cyclone will be most intense from Saturday night through Sunday afternoon.
The cyclone is next on its way to Auckland, two weeks after the worst flooding disaster on record.

Residents of Norfolk Island are preparing for Cyclone Gabriel. Cyclone Gabriel is expected to bring the most devastating weather in 30 years.

The cyclone was reclassified as a Category 3 to Category 2 storm due to its proximity to Australian territory.

The center of the cyclone is predicted to pass over or near the island on Saturday night, bringing destructive winds and very violent waves.

Cyclone Gabriel moved rapidly at 6 p.m. Norfolk Island time on Saturday and is about 105 kilometers west-northwest of the island, home to about 2,000 residents, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

“High winds and high waves are likely to be occurring in parts of the island, and conditions could worsen overnight as the center of the cyclone passes,” the agency said.

strong winds, heavy rain

There were some indications that the island might avoid the system’s strongest winds, but a period of destructive winds with gusts of up to 140 km/h is still possible on Saturday evening or early Sunday. was.

Senior meteorologist Dean Narramore warned of heavy rainfall and bursts of very large ocean and swells.

“These winds and rainfall can topple trees and power lines, causing property damage and very dangerous and unsafe driving conditions,” he said.

“The center of circulation crosses Norfolk Island overnight and is expected to begin moving away from Norfolk Island early Sunday morning.

“But on the other side, we expect strong to destructive winds, heavy rains, and waves and swells to continue to cause damage.”

Cyclone weakens Sunday afternoon

Cyclone Gabriel should have weakened by Sunday afternoon and reached southeast Norfolk Island, but surf conditions will remain dangerous through Sunday, said Narramore.

A Dangerous Wave Warning was in effect for the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast waters off Fraser Island until midnight Sunday.

The cyclone was reclassified as a Category 3 to Category 2 storm due to its close approach to Norfolk Island. sauce: AAP / meteorological bureau

The department urges people to consider staying out of the water and avoiding walking near wave-exposed areas, and sailors to consider delaying voyages if they plan to cross shallows or sea bars. was urging

Tourists were urged to leave before the storm, but Norfolk Island administrator Eric Hutchinson said 800 to 950 visitors are likely to remain on the island.

“We’re well prepared and we need to get through this, and then we’ll see what resources we’ll need in the recovery phase starting tomorrow,” he told ABC Television. .

Military and Emergency Teams on Standby

Teams of military and emergency personnel are on standby to respond if necessary.

An emergency shelter became available on Saturday morning.

Hutchinson said the last time a cyclone of similar intensity passed through Norfolk Island was in the mid-1990s, and residents had prepared for the damage.

“We can expect power outages, fallen trees, and the loss of roofs on houses,” he said.

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Hutchinson said he was most concerned about damage to visitor accommodations and the island’s hospitals, but had contingency plans in place to deal with these events.

The New Zealand Department of Meteorology expects the cyclone to weaken into a tropical storm before moving to the North Island on Sunday, but is expected to bring severe rain and windy weather to areas including flood-hit Auckland. I’m here.

A low-intensity to severe heat wave is expected over the weekend and early next week in central and south-east Queensland.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/australias-norfolk-island-braces-for-worst-storm-in-30-years-as-cyclone-gabrielle-approaches/ecaois40n Australia’s Norfolk Island prepares for worst storm in 30 years as Cyclone Gabriel approaches

userFebruary 11, 2023