Tropical Cyclone Kirrily crosses Queensland coast at Townsville

Photograph: Bureau of Meteorology

Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has crossed the coast of Queensland bringing heavy rain and very strong wind gusts.

The cyclone had been updated to a category-three storm on Thursday afternoon and crossed the Queensland coast at Townsville at 10pm. But it was then downgraded first to a category-two storm and then category one as it made its way inland, the Queensland Bureau of Meteorology said.

At midnight on Thursday the bureau said: “Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has weakened further as it tracks over land – now a category one. Winds near gale force in Townsville … with gusts to 82 km/h. Conditions should ease further in coming hours.”

The Queensland BoM said the warning area between Bowen and Mackay south of Townsville had been cancelled with “damaging wind gusts now unlikely south of Bowen”.

But it issued a severe weather warning for the area further north between Cairns and Port Douglas, saying there could be winds in excess of 100kmh for elevated terrain and valleys.

The Queensland premier, Steven Miles, said the government had pre-emptively declared a disaster and requested assistance from the federal government and other states. “We’re prepared and ready for the worst,” he said.

Miles said the SES had already received 146 calls for assistance on Thursday morning– most related to sandbagging.

The Townsville mayor, Jenny Hill, said the council held a local disaster management meeting on Thursday morning.

She said the council would issue an emergency alert advising people to shelter in place from 2pm local time, when wind gusts above 80km/hwere forecast. It was expected they would shelter in place until Friday morning.

“We don’t want to have people at our sandbagging locations, we’ll have to close those, and if you’re planning to pick up any late items, please do so now,” Hill said.

The cyclone was located 420km east-north-east of Townsville on Thursday morning. By AEST 4PM, it was estimated to be 120km east northeast of Townsville and 325 km north northwest of Mackay. The BoM said the cyclone was moving at 22 km/h.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) warned all communities within the warning zone were at risk of heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding over the coming days.

The bureau was expecting isolated total rainfall of about 300mm in the next 24 hours and a storm tide between Townsville and Mackay.

Magnetic Island residents have been advised to have sufficient boiled drinking water for at least three days in case of power failures.

The state disaster coordinator, deputy commissioner, Shane Chelepy, said on Thursday that intense rainfall and wind were expected over the next 12 hours.

Chelepy said 50 residents in low-lying areas of Townsville had already chosen to evacuate their homes and stay with family and friends. More than 40,000 sandbags have already been used, he said.

“Today is the time now to stay off our roads and take the necessary precautions to keep yourself safe,” Chelepy said.

“If you do not feel safe in your home, please consider moving to one of our evacuation centres or cyclone shelters. It is safer to do this during today than this evening when we’re expecting to see strong winds and rain during the hours of darkness.”

Wind gusts of up to 120km/h were recorded on Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays on Thursday, according to the BoM, which said it would be issuing emergency updates hourly.

More than 120 schools across northern Queensland were closed as a precaution ahead of the looming weather event.

Almost 1,000 homes were without power in Townsville before midday on Thursday while 460 were without power in the Whitsundays.

Water police were already in Townsville to assist while the Queensland police service had 180 general members ready to be deployed.

Chelepy said he would be requesting pre-emptive assistance from the federal government for aviation support “in rescue aviation and heavy-lift capability”.