WARNING LEVEL: ADVICE - PREPARE NOW

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Published
10th December 2023

PREPARE NOW – Cassowary Coast Region – Tropical Cyclone Jasper as at Sunday 10 December 2023

Warning level: ADVICE

Warning area: Cassowary Coast Region: Innisfail, Mission Beach, Cardwell and Tully and all surrounding locations.


This warning is from the Local Disaster Management Group / Cassowary Coast Regional Council.

Tropical Cyclone Jasper is slowly moving towards the Queensland Coast. It is currently a category 2 cyclone.

The cyclone is likely to cross the coast between Cape Melville and Cardwell during Wednesday. Conditions will get worse as it gets closer to land.

People in the following areas should PREPARE NOW:

  • Cassowary Coast Region: Innisfail, Mission Beach, Cardwell and Tully and all surrounding locations.

Impacts

  • Very strong winds will knock down trees, powerlines, blow roofs off some houses, and blow away anything not tied down outside. This is a risk to life.
  • Power, phones, internet and water might stop working. They could be out for a long time.
  • Heavy rain and storm surge may cause flooding in some places.
  • Roads could be blocked by fallen trees, powerlines or flood water.
  • Some places could become isolated.
  • Shops will close when the cyclone gets closer.

What you should do

Prepare your property

  • Fill your car with fuel, or charge it, and park it undercover. Do not park under a tree.
  • Store or tie down outside items like caravans, trailers, outdoor furniture, gas bottles, toys and play equipment.
  • Move outdoor furniture inside or sink it in your pool so it doesn’t fly around in strong winds.
  • Check for tree branches hanging over your roof. Cut them off if you can.
  • Fill up containers and the bath with clean water for drinking in case the water supply is cut off.
  • Close cyclone shutters if you have them, or board up big windows with plywood.
  • Find out how to safely turn off power, solar, water and gas to your house. Be ready to turn it off if told to.
  • Check your family, friends and neighbours know what to do. Help them if you can.

Check or make an emergency kit

  • battery-powered radio to listen to warnings
  • torch and spare batteries
  • tinned and packet food and bottled water to last five days
  • enough clothes for five days
  • important medicine
  • important papers (like ID, insurance papers and passports)
  • first-aid kit
  • mobile phone, charger and charged power bank
  • toilet paper, face masks and hand sanitiser
  • if you have very young children, enough nappies for up to five days, wipes, bottles, formula or baby food. Plan to not have a fridge or microwave
  • if you have a pet, enough pet food for five days, a lead and/or crate.

Prepare your shelter

  • Find the strongest and safest room to shelter in later. This will be away from big windows. It could be a bathroom, walk-in wardrobe or hallway. Sheltering at home is often the best option for your safety.
  • Cover any windows in your safe room with a mattress or heavy blanket. This will protect you from broken glass if the window breaks. Shelter under them if the roof comes off.

If your home is not a safe place

  • If your home is more than 40 years old or not well looked after, plan to stay with friends or family in a stronger home. Weaker buildings can break more easily in cyclone conditions.
  • If you are near the beach or a coastal waterway, storm surge could cause flooding. This is dangerous. Decide now where you will evacuate to.
  • If your home is not a safe place and you have no other options, consider moving into commercial accommodation such as a hotel or motel in a safer location or leave the region and return when it’s safe.
  • Tell friends and family where you plan to shelter.

If you find it hard to move quickly or have special or medical needs

  • Use your Person-Centred Emergency Plan (P-CEP) now if you have one.
  • If anyone in your house uses powered medical equipment, like a dialysis machine or ventilator, go now to a safe place with reliable power supply, like a generator.
  • Call your support person or service to help you get ready.
  • If you don’t feel safe sheltering at home, leaving now is the safest option.

If you are a tourist, visitor, camper or caravanner

Campers and caravanners should start packing up now.

  • If you do not need to be in the area, leave now. Check road conditions and plan your route before you leave.
  • Travel out of the current warning area. Stay informed.
  • If you choose to stay, ask accommodation staff where to shelter if the cyclone comes.

If you have a boat or jet ski

  • Take your boat, jet-ski, canoe or kayak out of the water and store securely on land if possible.
  • If your boat is kept on the water, relocate it to a safer mooring if possible.
  • If your boat is in a marina, batten down and check-in with the marina manager.
  • Check your area’s Extreme Weather Contingency Plan on the Maritime Safety Queensland website.

If you have livestock

  • Move livestock to higher ground. You may need to open gates to other paddocks so animals can move to safety if there is flooding.  
  • Block access to low-lying fields or other places near creeks and rivers.  
  • Provide lots of food and clean water in a safe place away from creeks and rivers.
  • Prepare for isolation.
  • Make sure animals can be identified if they get lost.  

More information

The next update will be sent when the situation changes.

For cyclone help, call the SES on 132 500 or download the SES Assistance QLD app.