Тропический циклон Ларри (2006)

2006 tropical cyclone

Severe Tropical Cyclone Larry was a tropical cyclone that made landfall in Australia during the 2005–06 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season. Larry originated as a low pressure system over the eastern Coral Sea on 16 March 2006, and was monitored by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology in Brisbane, Australia. The low pressure area organised into a tropical cyclone two days later and quickly strengthened into a Category 4 storm on the Australian tropical cyclone scale. Larry made landfall in Far North Queensland close to Innisfail, on 20 March 2006, as a Category 5 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, with wind gusts reaching , before dissipating over land several days later. Throughout Queensland, Cyclone Larry resulted in roughly AU$1.5 billion (US$1.1 billion) 2006 USD or AU$2 billion (US$1.55billion) 2022 USD in damage. At the time, this made Larry the costliest tropical cyclone to ever impact Australia; surpassing Cyclone Tracy in 1974 (not accounting for inflation). In 2011, Cyclone Yasi surpassed the damage total caused by Larry.

Larry began as a low pressure system over the eastern Coral Sea that was monitored by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology from 16 March 2006. It formed into a tropical cyclone off the coast of Queensland, Australia on Saturday 18 March 2006. Larry was a Category 2 cyclone in the Australian intensity scale when the cyclone watch commenced, and gradually intensified to a high Category 5 cyclone on that scale. The eye of Larry crossed the coast in between Gordonvale and Tully between 6:20 am and 7:20 am AEST on 20 March 2006. According to preliminary data, the winds may have reached with gusts to However, re analysis based on land observations indicated that Cyclone Larry was a Category 4 cyclone during landfall, as wind gusts were estimated to have reached in the area of impact. The Australian intensity scale is based on maximum wind gusts, which are estimated to be 40 percent above 10 minute sustained winds. On this scale, Larry peaked as a Category 5 cyclone, during landfall. On the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Scale, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center's maximum 1 minute wind speed assigned to the cyclone define it as a Category 4 equivalent storm. Based on estimated winds speeds required to destroy simple structures, a damage survey of buildings in the Innisfail region estimated peak gust wind speeds (in reference to flat open country at a height of ) across the study area to range from This estimate correlates with the Bureau of Meteorology's re analysis of Cyclone Larry at landfall. Their reviews of data suggest that Larry was a Category 5 system when it crossed the coast. It was confirmed by the Bureau of Meteorology in March 2007 that the cyclone made landfall as a Category 5 cyclone. theoretically corresponding to 1 minute sustained winds of , and maximum wind gusts generally consistent with a Saffir Simpson scale Category 5 storm. At 1 am Australian Eastern Standard Time on 21 March 2006, Larry was downgraded to a Tropical Low pressure system as it moved inland. Ex tropical cyclone Larry was further tracked as it moved into western Queensland to the north of Mount Isa. Larry's short life as a cyclone is attributed to its speed; the system moved very quickly over the Coral Sea dissipating nearly 24 hours after landfall. Cyclone Larry was considered to be the worst cyclone to hit the coast of Queensland since 1931, until it was surpassed by Cyclone Yasi in 2011; consequently, the name "Larry" was retired on 12 December 2006.

Cyclone Larry caused extensive and persistent damage to the regions natural rainforest. Normally resilient to high wind speeds of previous cyclones the force of Larry stripped several hundred thousand acres of leaves. A large quantity of major ND upper canopy trees were blown down or broken off. many stripped and damaged trees unable to resist a variety of tropical pests caused a second wave of dying to occur in the following months. The regions forest, famous as being similar paleoforest to the Amazon, became lower in overall height. On 27 March, the Governor General of Australia, Michael Jeffery, visited the area several days into the recovery. He viewed the devastation from the air and also met with groups of people on the ground.

A few hours after the immediate effects of the cyclone, the Australian Defence Force dispatched elements of the Townsville based 3rd Brigade and the Cairns based 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment, Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force including: six Black Hawk helicopters, three Iroquois helicopters, one Chinook helicopter, one Seahawk helicopter, three Navy landing craft, two Caribou aircraft, two C 130 Hercules, and several LARC V amphibious 4WD vehicles. A Combat Services Support Battalion coordinated emergency support at Innisfail Showgrounds, providing health care, environmental advice, fresh food and purified water (as well as testing local supplies), tarpaulins, bath and shower facilities, and up to 500 beds. The Cowley Beach Training Area near Mourilyan Harbour, south of Innisfail, was significantly affected by the cyclone, and its use as a base by recovery teams was therefore limited.

Thuringowa Group Rural Fire Brigade volunteers responded immediately after the impact of the cyclone. The rural fire volunteer task force set up a command post at East Palmerston, which was in place for a number of weeks. A newly acquired Emergency Support Unit was quickly prepared for disaster relief operations. This unit had to be sold before STC Yasi slammed the North QLD Coastline however, the Rural Fire Service and QLD Fire & Rescue had honed their incident management skills and along with the LDMG in Townsville, ensured that emergency response during and after the cyclone were suitable and appropriate.

Former Chief of the Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove, took charge of recovery efforts, and was directing activities from Innisfail by 24 March 2006. He called for an economic assessment by state and federal governments, and specified a moratorium on businesses' debt repayments to banks for 3 months.

About 150 tradesmen from around Australia arrived in Innisfail around 26 March 2006, and worked to reopen schools and other public buildings, and to make private dwellings habitable. The Queensland Government also investigated how many trusted prisoners could be organised for work gangs.

Media outlets reported that rental agents were working to find accommodation for displaced persons, after the already tight accommodation market was exacerbated by the severe damage done to homes in the affected areas. Many tenants and owners of severely damaged homes had little chance of finding accommodation in the area, and many were expected to move to Cairns for several months. Many people were sheltered in town halls while the defence force built additional temporary accommodation.

The cyclone destroyed 80–90% of Australia's banana crop. Australia is relatively free of banana pests and diseases, and therefore does not allow bananas to be imported. Bananas were in short supply throughout Australia for the remainder of 2006, which increased prices across the country by 400–500%. The average price of bananas was $15 per kilo.