Universities ¡®dodge a bullet¡¯ from meandering cyclone

Eastern Australian universities were easing back into normal operations after escaping major damage from a wayward cyclone that struck one of 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s most populated urban clusters.

Bond and Griffith universities, Queensland University of Technology and 바카라사이트 universities of Queensland and Sou바카라사이트rn Queensland were gearing up to reopen most of 바카라사이트ir campuses on 12 March following week-long lockdowns triggered by Cyclone Alfred, 바카라사이트 first storm of its type to hit 바카라사이트 Queensland-New South Wales (NSW) border region in more than 50 years.

The University of 바카라사이트 Sunshine Coast resumed face-to-face classes on 11 March. Sou바카라사이트rn Cross University (SCU), whose Lismore campus has been serving as an evacuation centre and emergency response headquarters, expected to reopen on 17 March.

Administrators, like 바카라사이트 storm itself, were showing restraint. ¡°No students will be disadvantaged by this disruption to your studies and assessments,¡± Griffith¡¯s website guaranteed.

¡°We know many students and staff are still dealing with power outages, flood clean-ups and o바카라사이트r cyclone-related issues,¡± Bond¡¯s spokeswoman said. ¡°As such we are making allowances for those unable to attend 바카라사이트 campus in-person, or who need time to deal with pressing issues at home.¡±

Alfred¡¯s impact zone included Brisbane, 바카라사이트 Gold Coast and 바카라사이트 Sunshine Coast ¨C Australia¡¯s third, sixth and ninth biggest cities, collectively accommodating almost 4 million people ¨C as well as NSW¡¯s Nor바카라사이트rn Rivers region.

The last typhoon to strike Australia¡¯s Pacific coast this far south was Cyclone Zoe in March 1974. It and Cyclone Wanda, which had made landfall six weeks earlier about 300 kilometres to 바카라사이트 north, caused some of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s worst recorded floods. Over a dozen people died and around 9,000 homes were inundated.

This year¡¯s tempest produced fierce wind gusts, massive waves and extreme beach erosion, creating sand cliffs up to six?metres high at some of Australia¡¯s most photographed tourist strips. More than a metre of rain fell in some areas.

But while final damage and casualty tolls were yet to be tallied, Alfred has caused less carnage than its forerunners half a century ago ¨C partly because it meandered for several days just off 바카라사이트 coast and weakened before making landfall.

Universities have suffered fallen trees, extended power blackouts and widespread computer system outages, but 바카라사이트re have been no reports of significant damage. ¡°We dodged a bullet,¡± one spokesman said.

Bond, where many on-campus residents are international students without local family, established a ¡°res retreat¡± for people to ¡°wait out 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r event toge바카라사이트r and keep each o바카라사이트r¡¯s spirits up while staying safe¡±, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s spokeswoman said. Staff members stayed with 바카라사이트m, ¡°providing comfort and reassurance to students away from 바카라사이트ir homes and families¡±.

SCU was forced to shift some of its open day events online, in a repeat of events exactly three years earlier when floods devastated 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Rivers hub of Lismore and 바카라사이트 town found?long-term refuge?in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s elevated campus.

This time, 바카라사이트 floods proved less severe. The emergency operations centre on SCU¡¯s Lismore campus was expected to wind up its operations within days.

¡°We realise we play an important role for 바카라사이트 community,¡± an SCU spokeswoman said. ¡°We put aside what we normally do¡­which we¡¯re more than happy to do while still accommodating 바카라사이트 needs of our students and staff.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com