Cyclone Ului doubles speed

Bureau of Meteorology

CYCLONE ULUI: The Pacific storm is hurtling towards Australia's Queensland coast.

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Cyclone Ului has doubled its speed as it hurtles towards the Queensland coast.

Forecasters predict the high category three cyclone will reach Australia early on Sunday, somewhere between Cardwell and Mackay.

The system is travelling about 12kmh and whipping up winds of 165kmh.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology expect it to re-intensify today as it takes on a more westerly direction.

A cyclone watch has been declared for between Cardwell and Yeppoon, with residents warned to prepare for damaging winds and outlying areas to expect heavy rainfall.

"Damaging winds should develop between Cardwell and Yeppoon during Saturday, and increase further on Saturday night as the cyclone approaches the coast," according to a Bureau statement.

The brunt of Ului will also be experienced further south, with high seas, swells and dangerous surf conditions expected to develop at exposed beaches.

On Thursday another 100 people were evacuated from Heron Island, following more than 150 who left on Wednesday, Gladstone Regional Council disaster management group executive officer Mark Holmes said.

Skeleton staff still on the island are expected to leave today via helicopter.

Evacuations include guests and staff at Heron Island Resort, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service officers and researchers and students at University of Queensland's reef and marine sciences research station.

Lady Elliott Island cancelled emergency flights to evacuate its guests, Mr Holmes said.

''They're waiting and seeing, they haven't evacuated at all,'' he said.

Gladstone is also preparing for Ului to cause damage on the mainland.

Evacuation centres have been set up and specialist equipment made available to ensure a rapid response if the cyclone proves to be damaging.

''We're expecting heavy rainfall. We're putting plans in place to do what we can in response to localised flooding and the like if it occurs,'' Mr Holmes said.

''The Bureau issued a cyclone watch for Cardwell to Yeppoon, which isn't too far away so we certainly aren't out of the frame by any means.''

BoM forecaster Amber Young said yesterday Ului could cause severe damage.

''It would be whipping up some swells, the winds are getting up to 220kmh closer into the eye of the cyclone,'' she said.

Lifesavers are also cautioning swimmers at South-East Queensland beaches after a high seas warning and expected monster weekend swells.

Gold Coast lifesaver Steward Hogben said authorities were monitoring the Bureau and determining which beaches would be closed on a day-by-day basis.

- Brisbane Times