Cyclone Yasi made landfall overnight and continues to batter the Queensland coast. The full extent of the devastation won’t be known for hours, but the main points are:

  • Yasi made landfall at about midnight local time (1am AEDT) at Mission Beach, but was felt from Cairns to Townsville.
  • The storm was downgraded from a category five to a category four as it crossed land, but it is still the strongest tropical storm to ever hit Australia. At around 5am local time Yasi was downgraded to a “still dangerous” category three.
  • The full extent of the damage won’t be known for many hours yet, but the communities of Mission Beach, Tully and Innisfail, 50km north of ground zero, are the worst hit. Queensland Police have received widespread reports of widespread damage and destruction but no reported injuries or deaths so far.
  • Electricity is out in many communities, with power lines brought down by winds. It will stay off at least until the storm has passed and it is safe for workers to go out and inspect the damage.

Live coverage: Cyclone Yasi crosses North Queensland coast