Cyclone Jasper could wash crocodiles ashore with 100mph winds causing ‘Tsunami-like’ waves in ‘red zone’ tourist towns – here’s everything you need to know
There are fears crocodiles could wash up on the streets of tourist towns in Queensland when Tropical Cyclone Jasper hits on Wednesday, bringing devastating winds of more than 160 kilometers per hour.
Category 2 Jasper has been dubbed a ‘Zombie storm’ by forecasters after it briefly weakened before suddenly increasing in strength as it approached mainland Australia.
It is expected to make landfall early Wednesday morning with up to a foot of rain, devastating winds and a dangerous storm surge.
At least 15,000 homes in Cairns are at risk of flooding from storm surges, while Port Douglas has also been named a possible storm surge ‘red zone’.
A storm surge or tide occurs when coastal waters rise above high tide level due to a cyclone, causing ‘tsunami-like waves’ to move inland.
Richard Berman-Hardman of Cairns Skyrail Rainforest Cableway was asked on Tuesday’s episode of The Project if there are any concerns that crocodiles could appear in the city.
Category Two Jasper has been dubbed a ‘Zombie Storm’ by forecasters after it briefly weakened in strength before suddenly intensifying as it approached Australia
“Cairns was built for cyclones,” he explained.
“One thing that makes it easy for us to recover from it is that there are waterways and drains that run right through the city, so everything comes together when there are big rain showers, so it’s not out of the question, but probably unlikely.
“I assume you’ve seen snakes on a plane, let’s hope there aren’t crocodiles on the cable car by the end of tomorrow,” he joked.
In the wake of high tides and heavy rains, crocodiles may move further upstream to new areas.
The phenomenon occurred during recent floods in Queensland and was also observed when Cyclone Owen struck in 2018.
Crocodiles were driven from the surrounding creek onto the streets in Far North Queensland, forcing authorities to issue animal danger warnings in the midst of the disaster.
“There are many crocodiles sightings at the moment so please be careful on the roads and please do not go near the crocodiles,” then Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said at the time.
Similar cyclones and floods have led to large crocodiles taking over residential streets (photo: a crocodile spotted on the side of the road during the 2018 North Queensland floods)
At least 15,000 homes in Cairns are at risk of flooding from storm surges. The properties most at risk are in the red zone above
Officials in Cairns have urged people living in the city’s ‘red zone’ to leave immediately and move to higher ground.
‘People in the red zone should immediately leave for higher areas. You may be in danger if the cyclone crosses. Immediately move to higher ground to stay with family or friends, away from peak red zone areas,” the Cairns Local Disaster Management Group said.
‘Properties in the orange zone may experience flooding.’
The storm could even become a category three system by the time it crosses the coast, the Bureau of Meteorology warned.
“If the system is slower and crosses Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning, there is a small chance it will intensify to category three before crossing,” an agency spokesperson said.
Jasper is expected to continue heading towards the state’s north coast for the remainder of Tuesday into Wednesday morning, before making landfall somewhere between Cooktown and Cairns early Wednesday morning.
“Forecast models suggest Jasper will make landfall as a Category 2 system, bringing heavy rainfall, damaging winds and a storm surge as it crosses the coast,” said Weatherzone’s Ben Domensino.
Rain should increase along the northern tropical coast and the Tablelands from Wednesday morning, extending further inland across the Cape York Peninsula on Wednesday and Thursday.
Cairns residents have been urged to evacuate in an updated storm surge warning issued on Tuesday
Tropical Cyclone Jasper has been upgraded from a category one two to a category two cyclone
The storm could bring a total of 400 to 500 mm of rainfall per 24 hours, with six-hour rains reaching around 300 mm in some areas.
Damaging winds could develop between Cape Flattery and Lucinda as the storm approaches and crosses the coast on Wednesday.
The strongest winds are likely to occur between Wujal Wujal and Innisfail, including Cairns.
Strong onshore winds combined with low atmospheric pressure will cause dangerous storm surges around high tide on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Evacuation centers have been set up across the region, with Deputy Prime Minister Steven Miles warning of a significant risk of flash flooding when Jasper makes landfall.
“It will then spread across the Cape and affect some of the most vulnerable communities in Queensland,” he said.
The cyclone is expected to make landfall somewhere between Cooktown and Cairns on Wednesday
Swiftwater rescue teams and additional police and force crews have been sent to the north of the state in anticipation of the wild weather.
Cairns hospital is also vulnerable, prompting plans to sandbag the facility and cancel its planned operation on Wednesday to free up beds.
A nearby elderly care facility may also be evacuated.
Cairns Airport remains operational, but a number of airlines have indicated that there will be schedule changes or flight cancellations.
Cairns District Acting Chief Disaster Inspector Sonia Smith has urged holidaymakers to travel north.
She urged motorists to stay aware of road closures and flash flood warnings.