Australia braces for another natural disaster

Cyclone Yasi approaches Australia

ADELAIDE, Australia – An e-mail from Linda Macqueen, editor of The Lutheran, the magazine of the Lutheran Church of Australia, warns of another looming natural disaster for the northeast part of the country, Cyclone Yasi.

She writes:

“Even those of us far from the direct line of the cyclone are feeling fearful this morning (Wednesday, February 2) as we wake up to the news that [Cyclone Yasi] is now a Category 5. Some reports suggest it is twice the size of Katrina.

“It is far more dangerous than anything Australia has seen before. All of Australia is fearful of what is about to happen to the people in north Queensland. Please pray for them. North Queensland was the only part of the state not flood-affected [earlier this year].

“Yesterday I contacted the pastors up there and they will call me as soon as they are able after the cyclone has passed – expected to last up to 24 hours. We anticipate though that all communications will be out for several days. Yesterday we had assumed that mobile-phone towers might still be standing, but now we are not so sure.

“We have Lutheran congregations in Cairns and Townsville (directly in the cyclone’s path) and a strong Lutheran Indigenous community at Hope Vale (almost on the beach, just north of Cairns).

“I will get an update to you as quickly as I can after the event.

“Thank you for your prayers.”

Current tracking from Australian Broadcasting Corporation