Hi everyone,

It's a very nasty business and the damage will be enormous. Coming on top of the previous floods, it's a double disaster with more torrential rain expected to follow when the winds eventually abate.

Two of the members who posted here previously and now also post on the new site are right in the line of fire, and that's Dooley and Bromaloonie. I shudder to think what's going to become of Bromaloonie's "500 chook" free range poultry farm, and just when she had it all sorted out and going so well.

The important thing is that everyone is safe and well. All the other things can eventually be replaced or repaired, and I'm sure there will be no shortage of willing helpers to assist with the rebuilding. My thoughts and wishes for a safe outcome are with them all.

All the best, Nev.

Hi everyone,

Well it looks like it's not all bad news about the destruction caused by Yasi. Although there has been enormous damage which is still to be fully assessed and as well as numerous homes destroyed and the Banana and Sugar Cane crop completely wiped out, thankfully at the time of writing this there have been no reports of deaths or serious injury and let's hope it stays this way.

Once Yasi hit landfall it quickly lost some of its momentum and was soon down graded to a force 4 and as it continued to move inland, was later reduced to a force 3. It seems the most severe damage was done along the coast although there will still be enormous damage over a much wider are as it continues to move inland taking with it high winds and torrential rains.

To give an idea of the area it is extending to, the news last night said that Authorities are warning of expected torrential rain and some local flooding in many inland areas. The one good thing to come out of the whole lot was that at the height of the hurricane, a little baby was born in one of the assembly centres and both mum and bub are healthy and well. It just so happened that there was an English midwife on holiday in the area and she and her husband just happened to be in the same assembly centre and she was able to assist with the birth. It seems that every dark cloud has a silver lining and I sincerely hope that all of our brom friends are safe and well and also came out of the whole thing much better than originally anticipated.

We probably won't hear from them for a while yet because electricity is still cut in many places and is not expected to be restored for some time yet so let's hope that no news is good news.

All the best, Nev.