Australia NOW! Huge Storm, Flooding and Winds of 110 km/h. Houses and Roads Destroyed. Cyclone Megan

Tropical Cyclone “Megan“ formed on the evening of March 15th local time in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. The first affected were the residents of Groote Eylandt Island. In just 48 hours, 26.8 inches of rainfall was recorded, which is more than half of the annual average. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, wind gusts reached 68 mph. Photos and videos shared by Groote Eylandt residents show the extent of the destruction: uprooted trees, flooded yards, and roads. On Sunday, March 17th, the weather system, moving southwestward towards the mainland, intensified to a category three cyclone, and on Monday, the cyclone hit the Australian coast around 3:30 PM local time, bringing powerful wind gusts of up to 106 mph and heavy rain. The Northern Territory of the country was affected by the cyclone. Evacuation plans for about 700 residents of Borroloola were suspended on Monday after deteriorating weather conditions prevented two Royal Australian Air Force planes from safely landing. Northern Territory Chief Minister Eva Lawler ordered residents of the small town of Borroloola to find shelter at a police station or medical center to weather the storm. Local Borroloola resident Ash Garner explained why many people couldn’t evacuate: “Unfortunately, the government delayed this decision for too long; it should have been done yesterday.“ According to Police Commissioner Michael Murphy, authorities underestimated the impact of rainfall on the McArthur River in Borroloola, expecting a peak of 50.2 feet. However, the volume of water was much greater than initially anticipated. After heavy rains associated with Tropical Cyclone “Megan,“ it is expected that the river will reach feet, three meters higher than the peak of a major flood recorded on the river in 2001. “A flood that occurs once in a hundred years is really serious,“ he said. On March 18th, the loading wharf of a major manganese mine in Northern Australia was damaged when the Cyprus-flagged bulk carrier “Anikitos“ was driven into the wharf during ore loading. The vessel reportedly sustained hull damage and damage to one of its ballast tanks. The tropical cyclone quickly weakened to category one and continued to weaken as it moved westward. “Megan“ is the fifth cyclone to hit the country’s north this season. Forecasts indicate that over the course of this week, the weather system will gradually move westward across the northern regions of the Northern Territory of Australia, bringing cooler temperatures, intense rainfall, and potential flood risks. There has been a sharp increase in the number of floods caused by storms and heavy rains recently. This is due to the warming of the ocean and the evaporation of massive amounts of water. Unfortunately, according to forecasts, this situation will only worsen. More details about what causes ocean warming and how we can protect ourselves from floods are discussed at the international online forum “Global Crisis. The Responsibility“