Thousands of Australians without power after tropical cyclone hits Queensland

SYDNEY, Jan 11 (Reuters) – Thousands of people in Australia’s northeastern Queensland state were left without power on Sunday after a tropical cyclone crossed the coast, bringing heavy rain and devastating winds.

The country’s weather forecaster said Koji, a category one cyclone, made landfall between the towns of Ayr and Bowen, about 500 km (310 miles) north of the state capital Brisbane, before weakening to a tropical low.

The storm, with winds of up to 95 km per hour (59 mph) and heavy rain, hit coastal towns including Mackay, a tourist center and gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said about 15,000 properties lost power due to Koji, damaging property and boats and blocking roads.

Koji brought up to 200 mm (7.8 inches) of rainfall to some areas overnight and is expected to lead to heavy showers in the next 24 to 48 hours, Crisafulli said.

“There is a possibility of flooding, Queenslanders will handle it,” he said in a televised speech from Brisbane.

Previously Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described flash flooding across large parts of the Queensland coast as a “major risk”.

The severe weather will likely continue through Sunday, then ease on Monday, the weather forecaster said.

Koji comes after the state was hit by a downgraded tropical cyclone Alfred in March, bringing damaging winds and heavy rains and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people.

(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney Editing by ‌Rod Nickel and Michael Perry)