Cyclone Yasi has begun to batter towns and cities across north Queensland, tearing down trees and damaging houses about 5 hours before the eye of the storm is expected to cross the coast.
Innisfail Mayor Bill Shannon said he had already seen the roof torn from a building near the council chambers where 500 people are sheltering.
"The eye is five hours away and it's already causing damage so it's pretty worrying," he told AAP.
Cassowary Coast councillor Ross Sorbello, a Tully resident, said trees had been torn down in nearby El Arish and Cardwell.
"We're just hoping and praying we can all get through the night," he said.
"The winds are probably getting up to 100 kilometres an hour which is worrying when we are this far out (from the eye)."
However, he said he was more concerned about the potential loss of life than damage to property.
"We can rebuild the houses, the important thing is staying alive, I don't want to see people die."
Mr Shannon said the council had used the experience of Cyclone Larry, which virtually destroyed the town in 2006, to prepare for Yasi's arrival.
"We're confident that we've done all we could, we've evacuated 8000 people in the space of a few hours."
"We've just got to wait it out and hope that nature is kind to us."
Innisfail correspondent Duncan Paterson said winds had picked up to a noisy 100km/h, lights were flickering, and the roof of the Canegrowers' building in the centre of Innisfail was beginning to lift.
Winds of 290km/h are predicted for the Category 5 cyclone which is expected to hit the coast just south of Innisfail at about midnight Queensland time.
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Innisfail Mayor Bill Shannon said he had already seen the roof torn from a building near the council chambers where 500 people are sheltering.
"The eye is five hours away and it's already causing damage so it's pretty worrying," he told AAP.
Cassowary Coast councillor Ross Sorbello, a Tully resident, said trees had been torn down in nearby El Arish and Cardwell.
"We're just hoping and praying we can all get through the night," he said.
"The winds are probably getting up to 100 kilometres an hour which is worrying when we are this far out (from the eye)."
However, he said he was more concerned about the potential loss of life than damage to property.
"We can rebuild the houses, the important thing is staying alive, I don't want to see people die."
Mr Shannon said the council had used the experience of Cyclone Larry, which virtually destroyed the town in 2006, to prepare for Yasi's arrival.
"We're confident that we've done all we could, we've evacuated 8000 people in the space of a few hours."
"We've just got to wait it out and hope that nature is kind to us."
Innisfail correspondent Duncan Paterson said winds had picked up to a noisy 100km/h, lights were flickering, and the roof of the Canegrowers' building in the centre of Innisfail was beginning to lift.
Winds of 290km/h are predicted for the Category 5 cyclone which is expected to hit the coast just south of Innisfail at about midnight Queensland time.
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