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- Severe Tropical Cyclone Winifred was the worst tropical cyclone to make landfall in northern Queensland and the first since Althea in 1971 to inflict significant damage on the northeastern coast of Australia. The sixth named storm of the 1985–86 Australian region cyclone season, Winifred originated as a tropical low north of Cairns, Queensland on 27 January 1986. Slowly organizing, the system was recognized as a tropical cyclone after gaining tropical characteristics on 30 January, christened with the name Winifred the same day. Meandering southward, the cyclone began to curve southeastward that evening before suddenly turning toward the coast, southwestward, on 31 January, steadily intensifying in that time. By the time it came ashore near Silkwood, Queensland at 0445 UTC on 1 February, it was producing Category 3-force winds on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale and a minimum atmospheric pressure of 957 mbar (28.38 inHg). Weakening as it drifted inland, Winifred persisted as a tropical depression for another five days after landfall before finally dissipating on 5 February. In advance of Winifred's approach, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued cyclone watches and warnings for various locations along the Queensland coast, prompting evacuations in several towns. Damage after landfall was widespread and severe, with thousands of homes damaged, flooding as a result of heavy rainfall along major rivers, and severe damage to crops. Debris obstructed roads across northern Queensland and power outages disrupted electrical service, even at water treatment plants, forcing officials to warn residents to boil water as a precautionary measure. Overall, the cyclone caused $86.4 million in agriculture-related damages, with sugar cane and banana harvests suffering the most. Tourist operations were generally uninterrupted by the storm, while ecological and environmental damage, if any, was mild. Even so, high winds uprooted trees in wide swaths of forests, with those not completely defoliated. Overall, Winifred caused three deaths and inflicted $130 million (1986 AUD; $154 million USD) in damage. In the aftermath of the cyclone, the Australian government distributed financial and emergency aid, offering to provide assistance to hard-hit banana and sugar cane farmers in northern Queensland. Hundreds of State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers were deployed to restore electrical and water services, evacuate local citizens, provide food, and repair and protect structures. The Department of Social Security (DSS) sent employees to receive claims for damage, requests for financial aid, and filings for unemployment benefits. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth of Australia initiated a three-year, $150 million program to provide relief to damaged areas. Fund payments, however, were frequently incorrectly distributed, and in some cases, fraudulent. In the confusion in the days following the cyclone, looters stole possessions in areas within the vicinity of Innisfail, and relief efforts were impeded by thunderstorms at Cairns. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) was subject to heavy criticism in the days following the storm's landfall, accused of not giving ample warning in advance of Winifred's approach; however, these concerns were later addressed in its report on the cyclone's impact. Due to the severity of the storm's damage, the name Winifred was retired after the season ended. (en)
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- Severe Tropical Cyclone Winifred was the worst tropical cyclone to make landfall in northern Queensland and the first since Althea in 1971 to inflict significant damage on the northeastern coast of Australia. The sixth named storm of the 1985–86 Australian region cyclone season, Winifred originated as a tropical low north of Cairns, Queensland on 27 January 1986. Slowly organizing, the system was recognized as a tropical cyclone after gaining tropical characteristics on 30 January, christened with the name Winifred the same day. Meandering southward, the cyclone began to curve southeastward that evening before suddenly turning toward the coast, southwestward, on 31 January, steadily intensifying in that time. By the time it came ashore near Silkwood, Queensland at 0445 UTC on 1 February, i (en)
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