Cyclone Debbie batters Australia with winds of up to 163mph and heavy rain

Trees and branches were blown down in high winds. Credit: AP

  • Video report by ITV News Reporter Chris Cunningham

Cyclone Debbie has made landfall in north-east Australia, battering the Queensland coastline with winds of up to 163mph (263km/h) and heavy rains.

More than 25,000 people were told to evacuate and schools were closed ahead of the category four storm, which has already left at least 23,000 homes without power.

The cyclone made landfall between Bowen and Airlie Beach late on Tuesday afternoon.

Having already passed through the popular tourist destination of the Whitsunday Islands, the cyclone is expected to head inland and south over the next 24 hours, while gradually weakening.

Residents were urged to stay indoors, while Facebook initiated a safety check for users to mark themselves as safe during the cyclone.

Trees and branches were blown down in high winds. Credit: APTN

Officials warned the slow-moving storm was likely to hover over the region for several hours.

Heavy rain has lashed Queensland. Credit: APTN

Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the cyclone's glacial pace had created a "battering ram effect," with some areas enduring the howling winds and drenching rains for a punishingly long time.

Communities along more than 200 miles (300km) of coastline were expected to be impacted, he said.

"I suspect before the day is out, we will see a lot of structural damage in the cyclone's path," Mr Stewart said.

Leaves and debris were whipped up by the strong winds. Credit: APTN

John Collins, a member of the Whitsundays government council, was sheltering from the storm with his wife and four daughters inside their house in Proserpine, a town south of Airlie Beach.

He said that four of his neighbours' sheds had been destroyed and every house within eyesight, including his own, had lost their fences.

At least four trees had been "smashed to pieces," he said."It sounds like you got a jumbo jet sitting on the roof of your house," Mr Collins said.

"It really is so loud. It's incredible."

"Conditions have deteriorated rapidly," Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an address to Parliament.

"Take care and stay safe. Be prepared to shelter in place until Wednesday."

Whitsundays Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox said authorities had received 98 requests for help and had responded to most of them.

The storm also poses a serious threat to the farming region's crops. The area produces a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, mangoes and peppers.