Cyclone lashes Q’land

Press, 3 February 1986, Page 1

Cyclone lashes Q’land

NZPA-AAP Brisbane At least one person was killed, dozens were injured, hundreds of homes destroyed, and farm crops flattened when severe tropical Cyclone Winifred savaged north Queensland on Saturday evening. Winifred, with winds up to 220km/h, roared in from the Pacific Ocean and crossed the coast south of Cairns early in the evening. The state Premier, Sir Job Bjelke-Petersen, promised immediate aid from the state’s disaster

relief programme. The Federal Government is expected to assist through the national disaster fund. The police said that George Allan Dunn, aged 43, a pensioner, of Malanda, on the Atherton Tableland, was killed when he was blown from a shed roof. An Innisfail girl, aged 14, was reported to be in a serious condition in Cairns Base Hospital after being badly gashed in the stomach by flying roofing iron. Cyclone Winifred left a path of destruction more

than 100 km wide before losing intensity and turning to heavy rain inland, from Cardwell. Most damage centred on the coastal sugar towns of Ingham, Innisfail, and Babinda but stretched as far north as Cairns and inland to Millaa Millaa. Twelve boats sank at their moorings at Mourilyan Harbour. Five people escaped injury when they were trapped in a shop which collapsed at the height of the cyclone. Hundreds of people were evacuated from

caravan parks throughout the area and moved to shire council buildings. The Queensland Government sent two helicopters to help with food drops and report on damage. Congested telephone lines caused widespread disruption to communications. The police and state' emergency service’ officers said the extent of damage would not be known for several days because some small communities had been cut off by flooding. Further report, page 4