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By Amelia SimTropical Cyclone ItaAt approximately 10pm on April 11, 2014, Tropical Cyclone Ita hit land at Cape Flattery, above Cairns on the Far North Queensland coast.  Cyclone Ita was a category 5 cyclone but was reduced to category 4 as it hit land.  Category 5 intensity was experienced over the Great Barrier on Cyclone Ita’s path.  Once the cyclone hit land it moved inland slightly then south to Cairns and Townsville at a lower intensity but with heavy flooding.Name: Tropical Cyclone ItaCategory: 5 Damage cost: $1.15 billion in Australia, no fatalities in AustraliaArea: Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Queensland, Australia, New ZealandMap 1: World Map Showing area where Cyclone Ita hit in Northern Queensland, AustraliaMap 2: Zoomed in map showing location of Cyclone Ita2.CausesA cyclone is an atmospheric system of rapidly circulating air massed about a low pressure centre and are often accompanied by stormy weather.  A cyclone forms over warm ocean waters usually near the equator and is caused by the warm air over the ocean rising up, much like smoke up a chimney.  This warm moist air is cyclone fuel, creating an upward draft and sucking surrounding air into the void.  Cyclones therefore gather intensity over warm water but lose this power as they travel over land.Diagram of how cyclones formExample of a Tropical cyclone : Tropical Cyclone Ita’s path to Queensland CoastCyclone Ita was formed over the Solomon Islands to the North East of Queensland on April 1st, 2014 and built in intensity over the next 11 days before hitting land on the Queensland coast late on April 11.  The cyclone also impacted the tip of Papua New Guinea with strong winds on its path to Queensland and New Zealand in the aftermath with heavy rain.Anotated Synoptic maps of Cyclone Ita – the path, intensity and timeline of ItaImpacts  Cyclone Ita: Storm hits far north QueenslandEconomicCyclone Ita had a massive impact on agriculture, destroying 90% of the FNQ sugarcane crop which was estimated to be worth many 10’s of millions of dollars.  In addition to this there were tomato and eggplant crops and more than 50 hectares of banana plantations destroyed in the area. There was also the cost of clean-up efforts and repair of physical damage to infrastructure. Ports, roads, rail and airports were closed and there was no power to a widespread area for many days and even months.The Bruce Highway was cut for many days between Cairns and Townsville while flood waters dropped and debris were removed.  A bridge at Abergowrie was damaged and unable to be used so when the Bruce Highway re-opened a network of side roads connected the highway until the bridge was repaired and deemed safe.The rail network was also closed in the Daintree Valley North of Cairns and it took many weeks to repair the damage.Although much of the area impacted was agricultural land, there was also a regional economic impact with a reduction in tourism for the duration of the cyclone and for many months afterwards. In Cooktown 16 buildings were destroyed or significantly damaged, 200 buildings were mildly damaged and the town was cut off for many days due to floodwater.  Many businesses had property and stock damage although some reopened only days after the cyclone hit.More remote communities had no power for up to a month after the cyclone which apart from impacting way of life also affected productivity on farms and small businesses.SocialSchool hall used as emergency shelter during Cyclone ItaDuring Cyclone Ita all communication to the affected areas were cut including landline and mobile coverage as well as ADSL internet connections. The inability to communicate with others in the same community and outside of the affected area is very stressful for all concerned, particularly if there is a medical emergency. Immediately following the cyclone, no deliveries of food and essentials could get through and there were shortages of some items required. In the days and weeks following there were impacts from lack of income where crops or workplaces had been destroyed for both business owners and employees.  Lack of income can cause depression and fracturing of communities as people leave to find work.  Sometimes though, communities in regional areas can be close- knit and draw closer as they support each other through difficult times.Rectifying loss and damage to housing and other structures is time consuming and stressful and this distracts people from their family, jobs and community roles and responsibilities.Decaying organic matter and mud are also aspects of post cyclone life, apart from the smell which can permeate living areas there is some risk of disease and infection if not cleaned up quickly and well.    Cyclone Ita - the path of destructionEnvironmentalThe natural environment is heavily impacted by cyclone activity with trees uprooted, stripped of leaves and broken, spreading debris everywhere and opening up the opportunity for soil erosion.  This and extreme flooding in the aftermath of Cyclone Ita caused significant deterioration of water quality due to silting and floating or rotting debris.Uprooted trees, defoliation and coastal erosion reduce ongoing natural habitat for native animals as well as the potential for loss of life of animals at the time of the cyclone.In Cyclone Ita there was significant reef damage as the cyclone reached its peak intensity over the reef surrounding Lizard Island and Ribbon Reef area on the Great Barrier Reef.  While there was little damage to Lizard Island, table and staghorn corals, massive branch corals and many smaller corals were smashed by heavy seas and waves driven by the cyclonic winds.  The photos above where taken by divers as part of the Catlin Seaview Survey which surveyed the reef only 2 years before Cyclone Ita hit.  The divers then identified key markers on sections of the reef and were able to provide exact before and after shots showing extreme damage to coral and large clams.ResponsesSES services – State Emergency Services (SES) were forewarned and prepared for Cyclone Ita.   State emergency services are a government service who deal with emergencies from stranded people, car accidents, road closures and other infrastructure damage.  Many requests came from areas such as Cooktown, Cairns, Kuranda, Mossman and Trinity Beach, with the majority relating to roof damage assistance and fallen trees.During Cyclone Ita:560 requests for assistance from the State Emergency Services (SES). Power supply impacted to more than 46,000 customers. Evacuation centres and cyclone shelters housed over 1000 people including 600 in Hope Vale and 300 in Cooktown. 8.50am: State Emergency Services volunteers have received 132 requests for help across the state in the past 24 hours.Personal Hardship Assistance SchemeEmergency funding was provided by the government in the weeks after Cyclone Ita to assist with a number of issues.  Immediate Hardship Assistance - Farmers were given funds to replant their fields after the floodwaters receded.  This was also available to families in need of basic necessities.Essential Household Contents Grants – for families who lost everything.Grants of up to $5000 were also available for freight subsidies to continue the clean up and concessional loans of up to $250,000 were available to begin rebuilding.3. Bibliographyhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2658987/The-storm-devastated-Great-Barrier-Reef-Before-images-reveal-Cyclone-Ita-carved-path-destruction-delicate-corals.htmlwww.australiangeographic.com.auwikipedia.orgwww.bom.gov.auwww.bbc.comwww.dailymail.uksmh.com.auwww.brisbanetimes.com.aupmm.nasa.gov>education>articlemapsoftheworld.comqueenslandeconomywatch.comhttp://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/resources/plan/local-government/severe-tropical-cyclone-ita-recovery-plan.pdfwww.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/cyclone-ita-brings-damage...

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By Amelia SimTropical Cyclone ItaAt approximately 10pm on April 11, 2014, Tropical Cyclone Ita hit land at Cape Flattery, above Cairns on the Far North Queensland coast.  Cyclone Ita was a category 5 cyclone but was reduced to category 4 as it hit land.  Category 5 intensity was experienced over the Great Barrier on Cyclone Ita’s path.  Once the cyclone hit land it moved inland slightly then south to Cairns and Townsville at a lower intensity but with heavy flooding.Name: Tropical Cyclone ItaCategory: 5 Damage cost: $1.15 billion in Australia, no fatalities in AustraliaArea: Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Queensland, Australia, New ZealandMap 1: World Map Showing area where Cyclone Ita hit in Northern Queensland, AustraliaMap 2: Zoomed in map showing location of Cyclone Ita2.CausesA cyclone is an atmospheric system of rapidly circulating air massed about a low pressure centre and are often accompanied by stormy weather.  A cyclone forms over warm ocean waters usually near the equator and is caused by the warm air over the ocean rising up, much like smoke up a chimney.  This warm moist air is cyclone fuel, creating an upward draft and sucking surrounding air into the void.  Cyclones therefore gather intensity over warm water but lose this power as they travel over land.Diagram of how cyclones formExample of a Tropical cyclone : Tropical Cyclone Ita’s path to Queensland CoastCyclone Ita was formed over the Solomon Islands to the North East of Queensland on April 1st, 2014 and built in intensity over the next 11 days before hitting land on the Queensland coast late on April 11.  The cyclone also impacted the tip of Papua New Guinea with strong winds on its path to Queensland and New Zealand in the aftermath with heavy rain.Anotated Synoptic maps of Cyclone Ita – the path, intensity and timeline of ItaImpacts  Cyclone Ita: Storm hits far north QueenslandEconomicCyclone Ita had a massive impact on agriculture, destroying 90% of the FNQ sugarcane crop which was estimated to be worth many 10’s of millions of dollars.  In addition to this there were tomato and eggplant crops and more than 50 hectares of banana plantations destroyed in the area. There was also the cost of clean-up efforts and repair of physical damage to infrastructure. Ports, roads, rail and airports were closed and there was no power to a widespread area for many days and even months.The Bruce Highway was cut for many days between Cairns and Townsville while flood waters dropped and debris were removed.  A bridge at Abergowrie was damaged and unable to be used so when the Bruce Highway re-opened a network of side roads connected the highway until the bridge was repaired and deemed safe.The rail network was also closed in the Daintree Valley North of Cairns and it took many weeks to repair the damage.Although much of the area impacted was agricultural land, there was also a regional economic impact with a reduction in tourism for the duration of the cyclone and for many months afterwards. In Cooktown 16 buildings were destroyed or significantly damaged, 200 buildings were mildly damaged and the town was cut off for many days due to floodwater.  Many businesses had property and stock damage although some reopened only days after the cyclone hit.More remote communities had no power for up to a month after the cyclone which apart from impacting way of life also affected productivity on farms and small businesses.SocialSchool hall used as emergency shelter during Cyclone ItaDuring Cyclone Ita all communication to the affected areas were cut including landline and mobile coverage as well as ADSL internet connections. The inability to communicate with others in the same community and outside of the affected area is very stressful for all concerned, particularly if there is a medical emergency. Immediately following the cyclone, no deliveries of food and essentials could get through and there were shortages of some items required. In the days and weeks following there were impacts from lack of income where crops or workplaces had been destroyed for both business owners and employees.  Lack of income can cause depression and fracturing of communities as people leave to find work.  Sometimes though, communities in regional areas can be close- knit and draw closer as they support each other through difficult times.Rectifying loss and damage to housing and other structures is time consuming and stressful and this distracts people from their family, jobs and community roles and responsibilities.Decaying organic matter and mud are also aspects of post cyclone life, apart from the smell which can permeate living areas there is some risk of disease and infection if not cleaned up quickly and well.    Cyclone Ita - the path of destructionEnvironmentalThe natural environment is heavily impacted by cyclone activity with trees uprooted, stripped of leaves and broken, spreading debris everywhere and opening up the opportunity for soil erosion.  This and extreme flooding in the aftermath of Cyclone Ita caused significant deterioration of water quality due to silting and floating or rotting debris.Uprooted trees, defoliation and coastal erosion reduce ongoing natural habitat for native animals as well as the potential for loss of life of animals at the time of the cyclone.In Cyclone Ita there was significant reef damage as the cyclone reached its peak intensity over the reef surrounding Lizard Island and Ribbon Reef area on the Great Barrier Reef.  While there was little damage to Lizard Island, table and staghorn corals, massive branch corals and many smaller corals were smashed by heavy seas and waves driven by the cyclonic winds.  The photos above where taken by divers as part of the Catlin Seaview Survey which surveyed the reef only 2 years before Cyclone Ita hit.  The divers then identified key markers on sections of the reef and were able to provide exact before and after shots showing extreme damage to coral and large clams.ResponsesSES services – State Emergency Services (SES) were forewarned and prepared for Cyclone Ita.   State emergency services are a government service who deal with emergencies from stranded people, car accidents, road closures and other infrastructure damage.  Many requests came from areas such as Cooktown, Cairns, Kuranda, Mossman and Trinity Beach, with the majority relating to roof damage assistance and fallen trees.During Cyclone Ita:560 requests for assistance from the State Emergency Services (SES). Power supply impacted to more than 46,000 customers. Evacuation centres and cyclone shelters housed over 1000 people including 600 in Hope Vale and 300 in Cooktown. 8.50am: State Emergency Services volunteers have received 132 requests for help across the state in the past 24 hours.Personal Hardship Assistance SchemeEmergency funding was provided by the government in the weeks after Cyclone Ita to assist with a number of issues.  Immediate Hardship Assistance - Farmers were given funds to replant their fields after the floodwaters receded.  This was also available to families in need of basic necessities.Essential Household Contents Grants – for families who lost everything.Grants of up to $5000 were also available for freight subsidies to continue the clean up and concessional loans of up to $250,000 were available to begin rebuilding.3. Bibliographyhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2658987/The-storm-devastated-Great-Barrier-Reef-Before-images-reveal-Cyclone-Ita-carved-path-destruction-delicate-corals.htmlwww.australiangeographic.com.auwikipedia.orgwww.bom.gov.auwww.bbc.comwww.dailymail.uksmh.com.auwww.brisbanetimes.com.aupmm.nasa.gov>education>articlemapsoftheworld.comqueenslandeconomywatch.comhttp://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/resources/plan/local-government/severe-tropical-cyclone-ita-recovery-plan.pdfwww.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/cyclone-ita-brings-damage...