Cyclone George

Severe Tropical Cyclone George

Category 5 cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 cyclone (SSHS)
Severe Tropical Cyclone George on 8 March, a few hours before landfall.
Formed	2 March 2007 (2007-03-02)
Dissipated	10 March 2007 (2007-03-11)
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 205 km/h (125 mph) 1-minute sustained: 205 km/h (125 mph) Gusts: 285 km/h (180 mph)
Lowest pressure	902 mbar (hPa; 26.64 inHg)
Fatalities	3
Damage	$6.2 million (2007 USD)
Areas affected	Northern Territory, northeast Western Australia
Part of the 2006-07 Australian region cyclone season

Severe Tropical Cyclone George (JTWC designation: 17S, also known as simply Cyclone George) was the third tropical cyclone to affect the Australian region and the first to affect Western Australia in 2007. The cyclone formed on 2 March in the Northern Territory's Top End late in February, and intensified when it entered the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, before crossing the northern coast of the Kimberley. It moved over the Indian Ocean, intensifying to a Category 4 cyclone, and eventually crossed the Pilbara coast just east of Port Hedland at peak intensity. It caused significant damage to the town of Port Hedland and numerous isolated mining camps around the town. Insured damage totalled A$8 million (US$6.2 million 2007), and there were 3 fatalities.

Meteorological history

Storm path

A tropical low that had been centred over land in the Northern Territory's Top End since 27 February started showing signs of development, and the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Darwin initiated tropical cyclone advices on 2 March while the low was still inland. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the system later that day, and designated it Tropical Cyclone 17S the next day as it emerged into water.

Later on 3 March, TCWC Darwin upgraded the low to a tropical cyclone, naming it George, the first name used from the Darwin list since Fay in March 2004. George continued to strengthen, and was upgraded to a Category 2 tropical cyclone. It made landfall on 4 March in the Kimberley region Western Australia on the western coast of the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf. The tropical cyclone weakened and the BOM downgraded it to a tropical low after it moved over land, but this weakening was short lived however, as it almost immediately re-intensified into a Category 1 tropical cyclone when it started to move off the Kimberley coast.

The Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Perth began monitoring the re-developed cyclone as it moved westward. Initially, poor organisation inhibited any strengthening, but George moved into more favourable conditions and quickly reorganised itself, becoming a severe tropical cyclone on 7 March. The severe cyclone turned abruptly to the south later that day, moving closer to the Pilbara coast, while growing significantly in size. As George continued to move southwards towards Port Hedland on 8 March, George was upgraded to a Category 4 cyclone, and a Category 5 just prior to landfall.^[1] At this time, the JTWC declared George to have intensified to 205 km/h (130 mph) 1-minute sustained winds, equivalent to a strong Category 3 in the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale.^[2]

Cyclone George made landfall just east of Port Hedland at around Midnight. WDT (1500 UTC) at 10pm a measurement was made of 195 km/h (125 mph) and a minimum pressure of 902 mbar (hPa; 26.64 inHg). A true measurement of the wind speed is unavailable as equipment failed at the Port Hedland Bureau of Meteorology an hour before the cyclone crossed the coast at midnight. George weakened slowly while over land and it was downgraded to a Category 3 late on 9 March. The next day TCWC in Perth issued its final warning for the system.

Preparations

Cyclone George resulted in numerous schools and ports in Port Hedland being closed down in order to deal with the severe cyclone.^[3] Mining, Oil and Gas companies had to ultimately close in order to also deal with the threat of the imminent Cyclone. People were additionally evacuated from low lying levels near the sea, and moved either to higher ground, or further inland to Cyclone Shelters.^[4]

Impact

Most intense Australian cyclones

Rank	Cyclone	Season	Min. pressure mbar (hPa)
1	Gwenda	1999	900
	Inigo	2003	900
3	George	2007	902
4	Orson	1989	904
5	Theodore	1994	910
	Vance	1999	910
	Fay	2004	910
	Glenda	2006	910
Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Cyclone George was the most powerful cyclone to hit Port Hedland since Cyclone Joan in 1975.^[1] Peaking at 902 mbar (hPa; 26.64 inHg) with gusts up to 285 km/h (180 mph). Cyclone Joan is another unknown quantity, as The Port Hedland Bureau of Meteorology equipment failed during this cyclone too.

Power and telephone lines were down in Port Hedland, many roofs and fences were torn down and trees were uprooted.^[5] At least one house was destroyed.^[6] The Pilbara region was declared a disaster zone, and the Australian Defence Force was on standby to provide extra help.^[7] George also caused the Port Hedland and Onslow radar's to be damaged as its course took it further to the southwest.

Tropical Cyclone Jacob struck almost the same area as George only three days later, although it was not as damaging or deadly as George. It did however cause some minor flooding.^[8]

Three people were killed and twenty-eight others were injured as a result of the severe cyclone. One death and the majority of the people injured occurred at a Fortescue Metals Group camp,^[9] about 100 km (62.13 mi) south of Port Hedland.^[10] Strong winds and flooding delayed the rescue efforts for most of the day.^[7] However, all injured workers were airlifted to the hospital in Port Hedland after the cyclone passed.^[10] The deaths occurred when strong winds knocked over temporary accommodation shelters known as dongas. The second death occurred at Indee station, located between Port Hedland and the mining camp.^[7] The man died from severe internal injuries while escaping from his wrecked donga, trying to seek help at the main station homestead.^[11] A third death occurred when a man who was transferred to a Perth hospital on 11 March died due to the injuries received when the cyclone hit at the Fortescue camp.^[12]

Aftermath

The Australian Workers Union (AWU) launched a scathing attack on the Fortescue Metals Group Ltd, saying they were disgraced that no evacuation took place before the cyclone hit. The AWU were also concerned about the buildings at the campsite as they were only built to withstand a Category 3 cyclone. Almost all of the buildings located at the camp site were destroyed.^[12]

After Cyclone George struck the Pilbara coast, a relief fund was set up in order to help the victims of the storm. Mining companies, business, and residents all donated money to assist with the cause, and within 48 hours the town of Port Hedland was able to raise just over A$520,000 (US$410 in 2007; $435.00 2011 USD).^[13] BHP Billiton also helped recover Port Hedland by giving the local government $1 million A$ each year which will fund for a large part of an enhancement scheme with the Western Australian State Government to improve the town's appearance. Schools in South Hedland remained closed due to safety concerns about the damages caused by cyclones George and Jacob until 19 March, after the local community joined in a massive clean-up.^[14]

See also

• List of cyclones in Western Australia
• Hurricane George (disambiguation)
• Hurricane Georges (disambiguation)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Meaning it hit at the height of its intensity . Severe Tropical Cyclone George, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, 2007-03-03.
2. ^ Tropical Cyclone GEORGE, australiasevereweather.com
3. ^ WA towns brace for cyclone, The Australian.
4. ^ Cyclone disrupts WA oil, gas, NEWS.com.au Business.
5. ^ Cyclone George, The Geelong Advertiser, 2007-03-09.
6. ^ Three reported dead after WA cyclone, ABC News Online, 2007-03-09.
7. ^ ^{a b c} Deadly cyclone's fury not spent, The Daily Telegraph
8. ^ Tropical Cyclone Jacob Impacts, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, 2007-03-05.
9. ^ PM pledges extra funding for cyclone George victims, ABC News Online, 2007-03-09.
10. ^ ^{a b} At least two dead in George's wake, The Golden Mail
11. ^ WA police launch probe into third cyclone death, ABC News Online, 2007-03-15.
12. ^ ^{a b} Police to investigate cyclone deaths, ABC News Online, 2007-03-11.
13. ^ Money pours into cyclone George relief fund, ABC News Online, 2007-03-16.
14. ^ BHP Billiton offers funds advancement for cyclone-hit Port Hedland, ABC News Online, 2007-03-19.

External links

• TC George Pilbara Impact Report from the Bureau of Meteorology.