Thousands of holidaymakers fled one of Australias top tourist destinations Sunday as a tropical cyclone lashed the countrys north-east coast. Authorities in Queensland state ordered the evacuation of Fraser Island as Tropical Cyclone Hamish approached the World Heritage-listed site shortly after it was upgraded to a category five storm, the most severe on the weather scale.
The cyclone has been tracking south about 120 kilometres (75 miles) off the Queensland coast, but meteorologists warn its path is unpredictable and it could veer onto the mainland, potentially sparking a major disaster. Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said three islands were evacuated Sunday - Fraser, Heron and Lady Elliot - bringing the total number of tourist islands cleared to five.
"The biggest evacuation is occurring off Fraser Island, where we have around 3,000 people," Roberts told Sky News. Fraser Island, the worlds largest sand island, is a popular destination for travellers to Australia who are attracted by its rainforests, spectacular beaches and the chance to see dingoes in the wild.
Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh has warned that if the cyclone makes land, it could be more destructive than Cyclone Larry in 2006, which caused an estimated 500 million dollars (321 million US) in damage to crops and infrastructure. Even it remains offshore, the storm could cause major flooding, high seas and wind gusts reaching up to 100 kilometres (62 miles) an hour.