Tropical Cyclone Kimi to lash north Queensland coast … from a distance

The Townsville Airport terminal was to close at 10pm on Monday due to the impending cyclone. While the situation would be reassessed on Tuesday, early-morning flights would be affected.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland closed the Townsville early-voting centre, being used for the council by-election, at 3pm on Monday due to the cyclone warning.

Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan said that based on Monday’s tracking maps, Cyclone Kimi was changing direction “every three hours or so”.

“There is something predictable about cyclones, and that is the damage and risk they bring,” he said.

“Anyone in the watch zone, you need to be prepared for destructive winds up to 150km/h.”

Loading

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Laura Boekel said it was too…