Cyclone Yasi, a category 5 cyclone, hit the coast of northern Queensland yesterday. Winds up to 290 km per hour caused damage to houses, yachts in harbours, power lines, trees and crops. Heavy rain caused flooding. High waves washed over the land. Thousands of people went to safe shelters before the storm began. It was too dangerous to be outside during the storm.

A cyclone is a tropical storm in the Southern Hemisphere. It blows winds in a clockwise direction. Category 5 is the strongest. A hurricane and typhoon are tropical storms in the Northern Hemisphere and winds blow anti-clockwise.

After the storm people are finding it difficult to get home because debris covers the roads – trees, timber from houses, iron from roofs, and glass from broken windows. Many people who stayed home have no power. It could be some time before power is back on again.

Growers have lost 75% of their banana crop and sugar cane. There will be a shortage of bananas and sugar. New Zealand imports sugar from Queensland so we can expect a price increase.

Queensland has had a bad time in the last few weeks with floods and cyclones. This is the cyclone season and it is possible there will be more cyclones in the next two or three months.

Question

How can people prepare for cyclones?