Cyclone Jasper could wash in crocodiles with 160km/h winds whipping up ‘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 Queensland’s tourist towns when Tropical Cyclone Jasper hits on Wednesday, bringing damaging winds of more than 160km/h.
Forecasters dubbed Jasper a Category 2 “zombie storm” after it briefly weakened and then suddenly strengthened as it approached the Australian mainland.
It is expected to make landfall early Wednesday with half a meter of rain, damaging winds and a dangerous storm surge.
At least 15,000 homes in Cairns are at risk of flooding due to storm surge, and Port Douglas has also been identified as a possible “red zone” due to storm surge.
A storm surge or surge is when coastal waters rise above high tide due to a cyclone, causing “tsunami-like waves” that move inland.
Richard Berman-Hardman of the Skyrail Rainforest cable car in Cairns was asked on Tuesday’s episode of The Project whether there were concerns about crocodiles in the city.
Forecasters dubbed Jasper a Category 2 “zombie storm” after it briefly weakened and then suddenly strengthened as it approached Australia.
“Cairns is built for cyclones,” he explained.
“One thing that makes it easy for us to recover from them is that there are waterways and drains running through the whole city, so during heavy rains everything kind of comes together, so it’s not out of the question, but probably unlikely .
“I think you saw the snakes on the plane, let’s hope there are no crocodiles on the cable car by the end of tomorrow,” he joked.
After high tides and heavy rains, crocodiles may move further upstream to new areas.
This phenomenon occurred during the recent Queensland floods and was also observed during Cyclone Owen in 2018.
Crocodiles have been washed from a surrounding creek onto the streets of Far North Queensland, with authorities forced to issue warnings about the dangers to the animals at the height of the disaster.
“There are a lot of crocodile sightings at the moment so please be careful on the roads and please do not approach crocodiles,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said at the time.
Similar cyclones and floods have led to large crocodiles taking over residential streets (pictured is a crocodile spotted on the side of a road during the 2018 North Queensland floods).
At least 15,000 homes in Cairns are at risk of flooding due to storm surge. The properties most at risk are in the red zone above.
Cairns authorities have urged people living in the city’s “red zone” to leave the city immediately and head to higher ground.
“People in the red zone should immediately move to higher ground. You may be in danger when the cyclone passes. Immediately travel to higher ground to stay with family or friends away from red zone surge areas,” the local disaster management team in Cairns said.
“Properties in the orange zone may be subject to flooding.”
It could even become a category three system by the time the storm crosses the coast, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
“If a system is slower and crosses the border on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning, there is a small chance that it will enter category three before crossing,” a bureau spokesman said.
Jasper is expected to continue moving toward the state’s north coast throughout the remainder of Tuesday and 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 rain, damaging winds and storm surge as it crosses the coast,” Weatherzone’s Ben Domensino said.
Rain is expected to intensify along the northern tropical coast and tablelands from Wednesday morning and spread further inland across Cape York Peninsula during Wednesday and Thursday.
Cairns residents were urged to evacuate in an updated storm surge warning issued on Tuesday.
Tropical Cyclone Jasper has been upgraded from a Category One to Category Two cyclone.
The storm could result in 24-hour rainfall totals of between 400mm and 500mm, with some areas seeing six-hour rainfall totals of around 300mm.
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 Woodjal and Innisfail, including Cairns.
Strong offshore winds combined with low barometric pressure will cause dangerous storm surges at high tide on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Evacuation centers have been set up across the region, with Deputy Prime Minister Stephen Miles warning of a significant risk of flash flooding when Jasper comes ashore.
“It will then spread across the Cape, affecting some of Queensland’s most vulnerable communities,” he said.
The cyclone is expected to hit somewhere between Cooktown and Cairns on Wednesday.
Swiftwater rescue crews, as well as additional police and security crews, were deployed upstate in anticipation of the severe weather.
Cairns Hospital is also vulnerable and plans are to fill it with sand and cancel elective surgery on Wednesday to free up beds.
A nearby aged care facility may also be evacuated.
Cairns Airport remains open, but a number of airlines have said there will be schedule changes or flight cancellations.
Acting Cairns District Chief Superintendent Sonya Smith has urged holidaymakers to reconsider traveling north.
She urged drivers to be aware of warnings about road closures and flash flooding.