Hundreds call for help, thousands without power after cyclone

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A Queensland community is once again in recovery mode after ex-tropical cyclone Kirrily took down power lines and uprooted trees in the state’s north-east, while fresh flood warnings are in effect for other areas.

The Queensland State Emergency Service received 270 calls for help overnight, with most relating to fallen trees, powerlines and debris.

There are still roughly 49,000 homes without power this morning after 66,000 residents were plunged into darkness at the peak of the storm.

A Queensland community is once again in recovery mode after ex-tropical cyclone Kirrily took down power lines and uprooted trees in the state’s northeast.

The Queensland State Emergency Service received 270 calls for help overnight, with most relating to fallen trees, powerlines and debris.

“There’s a lot of power lines [down], wind and water damage,” acting commissioner Steve Smith from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services told Today

“We’ve still got our swift water crews out in positioned across the impact area because there is still water moving through those catchments.

“The community is sort of moving around, clearing itself up and getting back to some normality, a lot of power is still out through those areas, so crews are working hard to restore that.”

Energy workers are aiming to get homes reconnected over the weekend, but warned it could take up to a week for some residents.

“The residents in the rural areas where we’re seeing a lot more damage to infrastructure, there could be access issues and those sorts of things,” Ergon Energy spokesperson Chris Hooper said.

“We’re saying seven days just to make sure that our customers are prepared to have their supply off or a longer period.

“We’re working as hard as we can, we’ll have the majority of customers back on over the next two days, and we’ll work through those harder-to-access customers as we can.”

There are still roughly 49,000 homes without power this morning after 66,000 residents were plunged into darkness at the peak of the storm.

Despite heavy wind and rain, Townsville was mostly spared, with “remarkably low levels of significant damage,” Smith said.

“The preparedness of the community is why we’ve had no loss of life, no serious injuries,” he added.

“People have… got on the front foot ahead of the season in the lead-up to the event and then they heeded the information warnings, and advisable authorities, and that’s made the difference.

“I’m incredibly pleased that the community has responded that way.”

Communities in regional western Queensland have been issued with flood warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology as the storm cell moves towards Winton.

Communities in regional western Queensland have been issued with flood warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology as the storm cell moves towards Winton.

“There’s still rainfall out through those regional western Queensland [towns], that’s bringing river rises and isolating people,” Smith said.

“There are communities that are used to isolation, [they] prepare for well it, but they will be isolated for some time”

“That will continue through the next course as it moves towards the Northern Territory.”

Residents are urged to check the current weather updates through the Bureau of Meteorology.