Oz Cleans Up After Yasi

As Australians face the daunting task of cleaning up after Tropical Cyclone Yasi, officials have expressed relief that the damage caused by the largest cyclone to ever hit the continent wasn’t any worse. While agricultural interests have been hit hard by the monster storm — the sugar cane industry is expected to take a $500 million hit and 75% of the nation’s banana crop was wiped out — the storm avoided highly populated areas and gave a pass to much of the country’s lucrative mining infrastructure.

The yachting community along the Queensland coast was devastated, particularly at the normally well-protected Port Hinchinbrook Marina in Cardwell. The breakwaters weren’t able to withstand the 12-ft storm surge — similar to a tsunami — that ravaged the 250-berth facility, sending boats crashing into the tony homes that encircle the port.

Only one death has been confirmed, that of a 23-year-old man who died of asphyxiation from running a generator in a poorly ventilated room. A married couple has been declared missing after their boat was reportedly capsized and sunk in Port Hinchinbrook, while another sailor who’d been reported missing sailed back into port the day after Yasi had passed. More than 100,000 people are still without power and the clean up will continue for weeks, if not months.