Red alert issued for West Australia as Category 5 Cyclone heads ashore

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

*Perilous Times and Global Warming

Red alert issued for West Australia as Category 5 Cyclone heads ashore*

* From: AAP
* December 16, 2009 12:53PM



THE West Australian coastal community of Kuri Bay is on red alert after
Tropical Cyclone [ Hurricane] Laurence was upgraded to category five status.

The Bureau of Meteorology upgraded Laurence to the highest cyclone
category this morning.

Laurence, the first cyclone of the season off the WA coast, formed in
the Timor Sea on Sunday and intensified from a category one cyclone to a
category three yesterday.

Forecasters expected the cyclone to weaken as it crossed the coast but
said there was a small chance it could be pushed out to sea and reform.

The cyclone is small but intense and wind gusts of up to 285km/h have
been recorded close to the cyclone's centre.

The Bureau of Meteorology said Laurence was estimated to be 35km west
north-west of Kuri Bay, about 370km north of Broome, moving south-west
at nine kilometres an hour.

A red alert is in place for people in or near Kuri Bay, who have been
told to go to the strongest, safest part of their houses.

A yellow alert is in place for people in or near the communities of
Mitchell Plateau, Koolan Island and Cockatoo Island.

Destructive winds were expected this afternoon and evening.

Gales and possibly destructive winds may extend to Derby and Beagle Bay
tomorrow morning.

Laurence has dumped heavy rain in the north Kimberley region, which is
expected to continue and extend into the western Kimberley this
afternoon and tomorrow morning.

The bureau said daily rainfall of more than 100mm was a possibility near
the coast.

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