Tropical Cyclone Niran intensifies to category two off Queensland coast
Tropical Cyclone Niran has intensified to a category two storm off the far north Queensland coast, with communities between Cape Flattery and Innisfail expected to be buffeted by 100km/h winds.
The tropical low developed into a category one cyclone early on Tuesday, bringing strong winds and flooding.
Townsville water police and emergency services rescued two men clinging to a tree in Star River after their truck crashed on Hervey Range Road about 8.30pm on Monday.
“Early information suggests ... the driver of the truck rounded a bend and was unable to stop before entering floodwaters covering the road at Dotswood,” police said.
“The truck was washed off the road and two men escaped the submerged cab and climbed a nearby tree.”
The men were not injured and the truck was expected to be removed when conditions were safe.
Banana plantations around Innisfail were flattened by winds as the cyclone formed off the coast of Cairns.Credit:Reece D’Alessandro/Nine
The Bureau of Meteorology issued flood warnings for the north tropical coast between Cooktown and Rollingstone as Niran loomed off the coast.
“The cyclone is expected to continue moving slowly to the north-east during today, before becoming slow moving or drifting back slowly to the west this evening into Wednesday,” the Bureau of Meteorology said.
“Niran is expected to continue intensifying over the following two days.
“A coastal crossing by the core of the cyclone is not expected”, it continued, “however, gales may develop within the warning zone late this evening or Wednesday morning if the cyclone adopts a track further to the west.”
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said seven state schools and 32 Catholic and independent schools closed in the region on Tuesday.
“I know our crews were out trying to fix up the powerlines that were down, there were 31,000 customers in Cairns who were without power this morning and 5000 in the Cassowary Coast, so they’re doing everything they can to fix that up as quickly as they can.”
The bureau said 100km/h winds might hit coastal and island communities between Cape Flattery and Innisfail late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Bureau meteorologist Rosa Hoff said the cyclone should remain slow moving as it developed into a category 3 cyclone over the next two days.
“We saw quite a lot of weather associated with this system yesterday with rainfall totals in excess of 260 millimetres about the place - the highest total we saw was 276 millimetres at Clump Point with Davies Reef picking up 227 millimetres,” she said.
Arlington Reef reported wind gusts of 124km/h, while Lucinda reported speeds of 94km/h.
Tides higher than usual could develop about the central and tropical east coast over the next couple of days, Ms Hoff said, and could lead to total water levels approaching the highest astronomical tide level for the region.
Bureau meteorologist Johnathan How said some catchments including the Tully and Herbert Rivers were flooding.
“And this heavy rain is likely to persist as Tropical Cyclone Niran continues to strengthen. The highest totals will be largely over the water, but isolated daily totals in excess of 100 millimetres are possible in the outer cloud bands of the cyclone,” he said.
Modelling suggested the cyclone would track south-east towards New Caledonia on Thursday, generating dangerous easterly swells along the coast.
South-east Queensland was set for showers and thunderstorms from the Sunshine Coast stretching to the NSW border, including Brisbane and Toowoomba.
Severe thunderstorms were possible with heavy rainfall, damaging winds and potential hail.
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Breaking news reporter at Brisbane Times.