YASI - Australia's deadliest & most destructive cyclone, will hit Cairns & Townsville

REUTERS - Cyclone Yasi, packing winds of up to 300 km (186 miles) per hour, has already written its page in the history of severe storms, even before it hits the Australian coast.


A weather satellite image obtained from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
 shows tropical cyclone Yasi passing the Solomon
 Islands while approaching the coast of Australia
on February 1, 2011.

 Heading straight for cities on the northeast coast, it ranks among the most powerful cyclones ever recorded and is thought to be the biggest to head for major Australian population centres.

Yasi, expected to hit small tourist cities such as Cairns and Townsville later on Wednesday, is a "category 5" cyclone, the highest rating possible and the first such tempest to hit cyclone-prone Queensland coast at this force since 1918.



Tropical Cyclone Category System


Category 1 - wind and gales of 90-125 kph, negligible house damage, some damage to trees and crops.

Category 2 - Destructive winds of 125-164 kph. Minor house damage, significant damage to trees, crops and caravans, risk of power failure.

Category 3 - Very destructive winds of 165-224 kph. Some roof and structural damage, some caravans destroyed, power failure likely.

Category 4 - Very destructive winds of 225-279 kph. Significant roofing loss and structural damage, caravans destroyed, blown away, widespread power failures.

Category 5 - Very destructive winds gusts of more than 280 kph. Extremely dangerous with widespread destruction.

p/s: Sending the massage of Malaysian sympatized to Australian.