Impact
As a tropical low, Hamish produced heavy rains over Far north Queensland, amounting to at least 300 mm (12 in) in localised areas. Cairns, located along the periphery of the storm, recorded 92 mm (3.6 in). Between 10am and 2pm local time on 7 March, Mackay recorded 148 mm (5.8 in) of rain. An additional 136 mm (5.3 in) fell the following day. In combination with high tide, Hamish produced a 6.3 m (20.6 ft) tide in Mackay, flooding some streets. No injuries were reported due to the flooding but debris was washed out to sea. An estimated 2,000 residents were left without power along the south-east coast of Queensland. The rough seas produced by the storm severely injured a member of the coast guard during his patrol around Noosa.
A 4.5 m (14.7 ft) tide flooded parts of Yeppoon, but no major damage was reported. Officials in Mackay estimated that damages would total in the tens of thousands. The Sunshine Coast in Queensland sustained significant beach erosion and at least 30 trees were knocked down. A pier sustained damage and another was partly destroyed. Severe erosion on Bribie Island and further erosion could create a break in the island, creating a passage to the Pumicestone Passage. The Golden Beach Progress Association chairman, Mick Graham, feared that if this happened, the structure of the island and passage would change. On the Discovery Coast, constant beach erosion washed away numerous trees and some walkways, with officials estimating that millions of tonnes of debris were in the water.
A trawler caught in rough seas produced by the storm sent out a distress signal as it became overcome by the storm. Rescue attempts to retrieve the three crew members were hampered by Hamish and were called off but expected to resume of 10 March. Nearly three days following the sinking of the trawler, officials called off the search and presumed that the two missing fishermen had drowned after finding empty life jackets and an un-deployed life raft. Severe erosion also caused the northern part of Fraser Island to become nearly inaccessible as it left the bedrock exposed. The Environmental Protection Agency stated that it was possible for light vehicles to continue along the normal route during low tide but were recommended to take the two hour detour. Throughout the Queensland coastline, damage from Hamish amounted to A$60 million (US$46 million).
Read more about this topic: Cyclone Hamish
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