Cyclone Ului smashes coast
UPDATE, March 21, 5.30am: TROPICAL Cyclone Ului crossed the Queensland coast near Airlie Beach this morning, bringing down trees and power lines and causing widespread blackouts.
Ului smashed through the Whitsunday Islands with winds of about 200km/h and then hit Airlie Beach as a category three cyclone about 1.30am.
It is now 36km east-north-east of Collinsville and moving south-west at 23km/h.
Residents are being warned not to go outside because conditions will become dangerous again once the eye has passed.
Latest weather bureau cyclone information
The cyclone has been downgraded to category two and is expected to rapidly weaken as it moves further inland this morning.
Widespread blackouts have been reported across the region, with some as far south as Gladstone, although the worst hit areas appear to be Mackay, Sarina and Airlie Beach.
Trees have been uprooted on the islands and mainland, with some causing damage to buildings and other infrastructure.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh yesterday issued disaster declarations for the Townsville, Burdekin, Whitsunday, Charters Towers, Mackay, Isaac, Rockhampton and Central Highlands local government areas.
More cyclone news & information
The declaration gives emergency authorities the power of mandatory evacuations if required.
Emergency workers and residents in north Queensland are waiting for daybreak to find out the extent of the damage caused by cyclone Ului as it crossed the coast.
The weather bureau said that while winds would ease during the afternoon, there was a danger that heavy rainfall would lead to flooding about the coast and nearby in land between Bowen and St Lawrence.
The bureau said tides in the area were near the highest of the year "with very rough seas and dangerous conditions along the foreshore".
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