24 Australian Geographic24 Australian Geographic
Destructive cyclones
in recent history
THE 10 MOST
In terms of intensity and damage wrought, these are some
of the worst cyclones ever to have hit Australia.
C
YCLONES ARE A FACT of life for
northern Australians, who face alerts and
storms each wet season, from November to
April. Despite improved warning systems and more
coordinated response strategies, the biggest cyclones
always wreak havoc and waiting one out is an
experience not easily forgotten. Cyclones and
hurricanes, as they are called in the Atlantic Ocean,
form over warm tropical ocean water and usually
dissipate once they move over land or cooler waters
further south. Their severity is categorised on a
scale of 1 to 5, based on the strongest recorded
wind gusts. Category 5 cyclones are extremely
dangerous, with winds of more than 280km/h.
We look back at some of the most destructive
cyclones to have hit Australia since records began.
AMELIA CADDYCyclone Yasi – seen here
near its peak intensity on
2 February 2011 – developed
north-west of Fiji and made
landfall in north-eastern QLD.