The first major gusts hit coastal Queensland as frightened residents and backpackers scrambled to find safe havens with just hours before Cyclone Yasi delivers its full wrath. Selwyn Hughes, turned away from a packed shopping centre acting as a shelter in the coastal tourist city of Cairns, stood with his family in the uncovered carpark [...]
Philip Duncan of WeatherWatch.co.nz on how Cyclone Yasi developed and what will happen when it hits Australia. Category five Cyclone Yasi has knocked out the weather bureau’s radar system on Willis Island, about 450 kilometres east of Cairns in far north Queensland. The weather bureau’s radar and wind speed measurements on the island failed just [...]
Upper North Island roads are reopening just in time for holidaymakers to begin the journey home today. The clean-up is continuing in the wake of tropical cyclone Wilma which closed roads and caused flooding over the weekend. Civil Defence was continuing to monitor the situation overnight after two months of rain fell in 12 hours [...]
Authorities have recovered the bodies of 27 asylum seekers who died after their boat smashed into cliffs and sank off Christmas Island. Up to 80 asylum seekers including women and children were onboard a wooden Indonesian fishing boat when it crashed near Flying Fish Cove this morning. Customs says 41 survivors have been rescued from [...]
Rescuers and mining officials in New Zealand say they are still committed to rescuing 29 men trapped by an explosion at a coal mine on Friday. Fears are growing for the men, including two Australians, who have not been heard from since the blast cut power and ventilation shafts. Police will not allow emergency crew [...]