Australia Weather News

The massive category-five cyclone crossed the far north Queensland coast early on February 3, 2011. Take a look back at how it shattered lives and caused more than $800 million in damage.

Category five Cyclone Yasi crossed the far north Queensland coast near Mission Beach, between Cairns and Townsville, in the early hours of February 3, 2011, bringing peak wind gusts estimated at 285 kilometres per hour.

The massive storm destroyed homes, shredded crops and smashed marinas and island resorts as it roared ashore.

Because it was such a large, strong storm, Yasi maintained considerable intensity as it tracked inland into the state's north-west, finally weakening to a tropical low near Mount Isa more than 20 hours after it crossed the coast.

While the towns of Cardwell, Tully, Mission Beach, Innisfail and many surrounding townships were badly damaged, the far north's major cities, Cairns and Townsville, escaped relatively unscathed.

Although Yasi was one of the most powerful cyclones to have affected Queenslanders since records commenced, only one cyclone-related death was recorded. A man died while sheltering in his home, asphyxiated on fumes spewed out by a generator he was using in a confined space.

But there were also amazing stories of survival; babies were born in evacuation centres and regional hospitals during the storm and communities in battered towns banded together in Yasi's wake.

Key facts

Preparations

Cyclone Yasi was the second major cyclone to hit north Queensland in four days, as it had already survived category two Cyclone Anthony, which crossed the coast on January 30.

Authorities said Cyclone Anthony was a "good test run for the region's emergency services" as Yasi was already brewing in the Pacific Ocean as a much larger storm.

Authorities feared Yasi could be as intense as Cyclone Larry, which devastated parts of far north Queensland in 2006.

Premier Anna Bligh issued a stark warning to Queenslanders as Yasi approached the coast, saying it had the potential to be the biggest cyclone the state had ever seen.

"This storm is huge and it is life-threatening," Ms Bligh warned. "Being well prepared is our best defence."

People in all low-lying and waterfront areas between Cairns and Mackay were told to relocate, with large storm surges expected to accompany the cyclone.

Flights out of north Queensland filled up quickly as thousands of people evacuated; businesses closed down and many patients in local hospitals and nursing homes were relocated. Other residents simply battened down the hatches to ride out the storm.

Damage

Queensland's treasurer Andrew Fraser said damage from Cyclone Yasi was expected to reach $800 million.

The insurance industry said the number of cyclone-related claims topped 50,000, with insured losses estimated at $655 million.

North Queensland's major cities, Cairns and Townsville, were spared major damage, although large trees were uprooted and powerlines brought down.

Instead, Cyclone Yasi had its biggest impact in smaller towns.

Tully, Mission Beach, Cardwell, Silkwood and Innisfail bore the brunt of the monster storm's wrath.

Many houses had their roofs torn off; others were flattened. About 1,000 people reported significant damage to their homes.

The storm cut power to more than 200,000 properties and a month after the cyclone hit there were still 700 properties without power because they had not been deemed safe for reconnection.

Ergon Energy said it replaced about 600 kilometres of cable and conductor line and almost 2,500 power poles and cross-arms.

The tidal surge in the coastal town of Cardwell came close to the predicted seven-metre level and authorities in the town found boats swept two blocks inland. The Bruce Highway along the Cardwell waterfront was badly damaged.

Dozens of boats in the Port Hinchinbrook Marina, just south of Cardwell, were piled on top of each other.

The Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics and Sciences estimated the cyclone caused a $300 million hit to agricultural production, with banana and sugar cane crops particularly badly hit.

Response

Frustrated residents urged people to "stop looking, start helping" as cyclone-devastated towns came to terms with the massive clean-up task in the days after Yasi.

Some people in small towns said they felt forgotten, while others said a strong sense of community was helping their recovery.

Prime minister Julia Gillard announced a "reconstruction inspectorate", while premier Anna Bligh took on the mantle of minister for reconstruction.

The Queensland government had appointed Major General Mick Slater to lead the Flood Recovery Taskforce in the wake of devastating floods in the state's south-east a month earlier; after Cyclone Yasi he was appointed to lead the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and oversee rebuilding efforts across the state.

"We can rebuild the roads and the bridges and the schools and the like, but what is going to take a long time is for people to rebuild their lives," Major General Slater said.

"There are just so many more lives that have been absolutely destroyed in north Queensland."

The federal government offered financial support for those affected by Yasi, with Centrelink processing more than $250 million worth of recovery grants in the three weeks after the storm.

The Commonwealth also offered financial help to cyclone-hit farmers, with concessional loans of up to $650,000.