Qld: Lockhart River takes cover as Monica approaches

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2006
Qld: Lockhart River takes cover as Monica approaches

BRISBANE, April 19 AAP - Residents of the Cape York indigenous community of Lockhart
River have taken shelter as Cyclone Monica approaches.

Queensland Counter Disaster and Rescue Service (CDRS) area director Wayne Hepple said
today about 400 people have moved out of some fibro and timber houses considered at risk
of cyclone damage.

Some were sheltering with friends and relatives, while others had gone to the local
council chambers, hospital and police watch house.

Speaking from Cairns, Mr Hepple said people were apprehensive but well prepared.

"The information that we have been getting last night and today is that they have done
a lot of preparation around the community, identifying the houses that are a bit older
in construction and they feel might not be up to any sort of (cyclone) standard," Mr Hepple
said.

"Families have moved out of those into stronger masonry block houses and ones that
have been built recently."

The last cyclone to hit the area was Cyclone Ingrid in March last year but Monica was
a much larger system.

The Bureau of Meteorology said category three Monica was packing wind gusts of about
220kph near its centre, but was not expected to reach category four before it crosses
the coast near Lockhart River around midday (AEST).

AAP rad/sc/jas/de

KEYWORD: MONICA LOCKHART

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