A powerful cyclone has made landfall in Queensland, northeastern Australia this morning. Cyclone Debbie, a category four storm, has left at least 45,000 homes without power and damaged buildings. More than 25,000 people were asked to evacuate their homes ahead of predictions that the cyclone would be Queensland’s most damaging since 2011.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Parliament that he had activated a disaster response plan. The system is expected to remain for several hours after the storm crossing the coast between Bowen and Airlie Beach.