We woke last Thursday to a yellow alert, and no school. This is what I had been waiting for a good storm, As we had known that the cyclone could be coming our way for about a week, we were well prepared and ready. The only thing we were missing was Sean. He was down in Perth for a weeks fire training.
Tayden and I set about getting the shutters closed on the windows and the big grate things over the ranch sliders. (or glass sliding doors as the Aussies call them, they have no idea what a ranch slider is) Then it was a quick walk around the yard to make sure nothing was lying about, bikes put away etc. We were set.
ALL SHUT UP AND READY
A few of the Woodside people came around to see if we were organised as they knew Sean was in Perth. Which was nice and I just about everyone I know (which isn't that many people) rang to see if we were ok
It seemed like everyone else was panicking, by lunch time the town was out of diesel, so its not hard to work out the town is full of 4WD's with the exception of ours being a petrol, and the queues at the supermarket checkouts was over an hours wait.
I think they should rename yellow alert, PANIC alert. The alerts are BLUE alert (which never happened in our case) means the community should commence taking precautions, and keep up to date with the cyclones development, fuel up, stock up on food, tidy yard etc.
YELLOW alert means there is a significant risk of a cyclone occurring, secure all cyclone screens, fill containers with water. Schools close and people start thinking about finishing work for the day. Evacuations are usually made in a yellow alert, and a few people in the lower lying areas here where evacuated.
RED ALERT, means the big one is coming. no one is allowed outside until given the all clear with cautions. The people in Port Headland had to stay on RED for about 24 hours after the cyclone had crossed due to downed power lines all over the place and lots of flooding.
So we waited and watched with interest the cyclones track map which was being up dated every hour at this stage. The kids created a cyclone of their own in the family room, but they were happy.
THE CYCLONE IN THE HOUSE!!
Poor Sean was worrying and was frantically trying to get on a flight home that afternoon. He managed to get on one, only for the airport up here to close, just as they were about to leave, so he had to spend a stressful night in Perth.
The kids and I were fine, we all slept in my bed and had a great night sleep, by morning the cyclone had completely missed us and had given the people of port Headland (150kms north of us) a really rough night.
We were given the all clear but still no school. Sean managed to get a flight home that evening and we braced for yet another cyclone (Jacob) This one looked to be heading directly for us this time, and we were again on Yellow alert, but as it got closer it weakened down to a Category 1 and then at the last minute changed direction and crossed at port Headland again!
So the cyclones were a big non event for us here in Karratha. I feel sorry for the people of port Headland, they have a huge clean up ahead of them and sadly there were 3 fatalities, which occurred in the small mining camps. It could have potentially been allot worse if it did hit us with a Cat 4 as we have 3000 people in those little working mans camps on the edges of town, as opposed to 500 that they had up there. I hope the shire council people take note of the tragedies and make better shelter facilities for the people living in caravans and dongas, as our evacuation centre here is a cafeteria at the College which is an all glass small inadequate room that would barely fit 100 people.
THE BIGGEST EXCITEMENT WAS THE RAIN!
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