Tropical Cyclone Ita is a
category 3 storm currently located over Queensland,
Australia. The
cyclone was downgraded from a strong category 5 to 3 and is the strongest storm
to affect Australia
since cyclone Yasi in 2011.
Ita formed on 1st April
as a tropical depression and caused devastating floods on the Solomon
Islands which left 23 dead and hundreds
homeless. It gained its strength and intensified into a tropical cyclone on 5th
April as it moved over the warm ocean. On the 10th it further intensified
and became a category 5 but was eventually downgraded to a category 3 as it
approached Australia
on 11th April.
Ita has made landfall in Queensland
with wind speeds of 170km/h (105mph). According to the Australia’s
Bureau of Meteorology, Ita is forecast to head south-south-west overnight. The
images below show the storms predicated track.
Destructive winds, intense rainfall
and high storm surges causing coastal inundation and flooding is a significant
risk that the residents are being warned about. Residents in the path of Ita
have been warned to take precautionary measures in preparedness and evacuate
into shelters set up where necessary. Warnings are currently in place for
coastal areas from Cape Melville
to Cardwell including Cooktown, Cape Melville,
Port Douglas, Cairns and inland
areas including Palmerville, Mareeba and Chillagoe.
According to the Meteorology
Bureau, Ita is expected to weaken after passing areas inland of Cooktown.
Source: NOAA
Source: NOAA
Source: NOAA
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