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Written by G0DUB for VK3PC
Friday, 11 April 2014 16:56

As Tropical Cyclone Ita impacts on far northern area of Australia, WICEN has declared a number of frequencies for health and welfare traffic including 7.088 MHz an 3.588 MHz, as well as 2m and 70cm. Dale McCarthy VK4DMC reports that at this point in time the cyclone has crossed the coast at Cape Flattery which is just north of Cooktown as a severe category 4 system. Cooktown is experiencing very strong wind and heavy rain. The system will track south/west over the next 12 to 24 hours and possibly impact on the Atherton Tablelands, Port Douglas and Cairns before heading south towards Townsville.

Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

Written by G0DUB for VK3PC
Sunday, 13 April 2014 21:28

After causing damage and resulting in at least 23 deaths in the Solomon Islands ‎on April 5, the category 5 Tropical Cyclone Ita came ashore in Queensland‎ in Australia's northeast. Dale McCarty VK3DMC reports that no Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network‎ (WICEN) activation has occurred so far, point in time. He said frequencies are constantly monitored and many of the Far North Queensland‎ hams are checking in just to see how others are faring. The frequencies are 7.088 MHz and 3.588 MHz until the cyclone which has been‎ downgraded to a category 1 continues to move south with strong winds and‎ flooding.

When the cyclone came ashore at Cooktown about 50 buildings were damaged‎ another five written off, road were blocked, water supply was critically,‎ power and communications affected. A strong winds and torrential rain closing airports as the weather system‎ moved south to cause more damage. Sugar cane and banana crops were flattened. The population were well prepared with many taking refuge in community shelters.‎ The mobile phone service remained mostly intact and fibre optic cables provided ‎communication with some areas. Tropical Cyclone Ita has formed over the northern Coral Sea to engulf the ‎Solomon Islands which has at least 23 people dead, about 30 people missing, ‎and has left 49,000 homeless. The country was also felt a 7.6-magnitude earthquake 96 kilometres south southeast ‎of the provincial capital of Kirakira, but it caused minimal damage.

Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.