Tue,Oct18, 2011
Reuters quoted meteorologists said Australia faces an above average number of cyclones over the coming storm season, threatening new devastation after massive floods swamped homes as well as destroying crops and crippling mining earlier this year.
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said in its 2011-12 tropical cyclone season forecast that the northwest offshore oil and gas field and coastal iron ore operations face a 65% chance of being hit by more than seven cyclones.
BOM said Northeast Australia where coal mining was crippled last year due to heavy flooding partly generated by cyclones, also faces a 65% chance of more than the average of three to four cyclones this season.
BOM said "Historically, these conditions have favored an above average number of cyclones in the Australian region."
Australia's cyclone season is between November and April.
Treasurer Mr Wayne Swan said natural disasters including floods and cyclones cut economic activity by 0.75 percentage points in 2010-11, wiping AUD 1.75 billion from revenue across 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Australia's third-largest city Brisbane was inundated with floodwaters and flooding across an area as big as France and Germany forced major miners to declare force majeure and damaged large swaths of croplands, including the key sugar crop.
One of the most powerful La Nina's in recent years fuelled the devastating 2010-11 cyclones and floods and the bureau of meteorology said another less powerful, La Nina would likely develop in 2011-12.
The bureau said "Before a tropical cyclone forms it is difficult to predict its exact strength and path, including whether it will make landfall."
It said "Along the east and west coasts fewer than half of the cyclones affect the coast, with most staying out to sea. Along the north coast more than half of the cyclones impact the coast. Tropical cyclones which remain out to sea can still cause storm surges, gales and areas of intense rain over land."
(Sourced from Reuters)
Reuters quoted meteorologists said Australia faces an above average number of cyclones over the coming storm season, threatening new devastation after massive floods swamped homes as well as destroying crops and crippling mining earlier this year.
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said in its 2011-12 tropical cyclone season forecast that the northwest offshore oil and gas field and coastal iron ore operations face a 65% chance of being hit by more than seven cyclones.
BOM said Northeast Australia where coal mining was crippled last year due to heavy flooding partly generated by cyclones, also faces a 65% chance of more than the average of three to four cyclones this season.
BOM said "Historically, these conditions have favored an above average number of cyclones in the Australian region."
Australia's cyclone season is between November and April.
Treasurer Mr Wayne Swan said natural disasters including floods and cyclones cut economic activity by 0.75 percentage points in 2010-11, wiping AUD 1.75 billion from revenue across 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Australia's third-largest city Brisbane was inundated with floodwaters and flooding across an area as big as France and Germany forced major miners to declare force majeure and damaged large swaths of croplands, including the key sugar crop.
One of the most powerful La Nina's in recent years fuelled the devastating 2010-11 cyclones and floods and the bureau of meteorology said another less powerful, La Nina would likely develop in 2011-12.
The bureau said "Before a tropical cyclone forms it is difficult to predict its exact strength and path, including whether it will make landfall."
It said "Along the east and west coasts fewer than half of the cyclones affect the coast, with most staying out to sea. Along the north coast more than half of the cyclones impact the coast. Tropical cyclones which remain out to sea can still cause storm surges, gales and areas of intense rain over land."
(Sourced from Reuters)
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