WA: More evacuations planned as Thelma bears down

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-1998
WA: More evacuations planned as Thelma bears down

By Kylie Walker

PERTH, Dec 10 AAP - Up to 600 people could be evacuated from the far north Dampier
peninsula tonight as intense tropical cyclone Thelmas increasingly destructive core bears
down on the north-west coast.

Winds of up to 150 kph buffeted the northern coast of Western Australia throughout the day,
ripping up trees as the category five cyclone continued on its south-westerly course.

At mid-afternoon, Thelma was 110 km north-northwest of the small Aboriginal community of
Kalumburu, on WAs northern-most tip, and moving along the coastline at 11 kph.

Winds around its 47 km-wide eye reached 320 kph, making the tropical storm the most severe
on record to assault Australia, WAs Cyclone Warning Centre said.

Rain started falling throughout the Mitchell Plateau early this morning, and was expected
to become very heavy during the night.

The Cyclone Warning Centre expected Thelma to skim the coast then head off to sea.

State Emergency Service (SES) Broome assistant regional manager Alan Gale said provisions
were in place to evacuate several Aboriginal communities around the Dampier peninsula, about
500 km west of Kalumburu.

"Well take up to 600 people from there to Derby and to Broome by road if Thelma comes too
close," Mr Gale told AAP.

"Otherwise, the pearling communities along the north have all taken off to Wyndham (200 km
south-east of Kalumburu)."

He said todays gale-force winds - expected to intensify tonight to about 220 kph - had
ripped up a few smaller trees along the coast around Kalumburu.

"Nobodys hurt though; theyre all sheltering inside."

WAs Mitchell Plateau, extending from Wyndham to Kuri Bay, was on yellow alert and
expected to be upgraded to red alert tonight.

A blue alert extended from Wyndham to the Aboriginal community of Oombulgurri to
Kalumburus east, and from Kuri Bay to Broome to Kalumburus west.

Last night able-bodied people at Kalumburu slept in an old stone monastery with 60 cm-thick
stone walls, where they continued to shelter today.

Elderly, very young and ill members of the Aboriginal community were evacuated to Wyndham,
which has better shelter on high ground.

High tides, rain and rising river levels meant the threat of flooding was imminent.

Mr Gale said the entire north-west population was ready to go to the aid of
cyclone-affected towns and communities.

"Its a whole community approach - everybody volunteers so we get help in quickly and
efficiently," he said.

"They all come together to make it happen, to give first aid and clean up and help restore
buildings which have been damaged."

AAP kbw/kr

KEYWORD: THELMA NIGHTLEAD

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