Reporters who flew into Innisfail on Tuesday saw scenes of devastation — rain
forest shredded by the winds, acres of sugar and banana plantations flattened,
the trees and cane on the ground next to their stumps, pointing in the direction
that the cyclone tore past.
"It looks like it's just been napalmed," said helicopter pilot Ian Harris.
"That's normally pristine rain forest."
An apartment block with its roof torn off looked from the air like a doll's
house. A resident was inside picking through the wreckage.
"I never expected anything like this," said Rosarie Cullinane, a 24-year-old
Irish backpacker who had been working at a local hostel. "I did hear about
cyclones but I didn't think it was going to be that bad."
She said backpackers huddled in their hostel wrapped in mattresses as the
storm raged outside.
The town's main street was littered with rubble from badly damaged buildings
and the corrugated metal used for roofing in the region. In some parts of the
street people waded through knee-deep water.
Stephen Young, deputy executive director of Queensland's Counter Disaster and
Emergency Services, said relief was flowing to Innisfail from all over
Australia.
About 120 troops were helping deliver aid, while clean up and specialist
urban search and rescue crews were heading to the town.