Cyclone Ada

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ada

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Aus scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Satellite image of Cyclone Ada on 17 January
Formed	3 January 1970 (3 January 1970)
Dissipated	19 January 1970 (19 January 1970)
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 150 km/h (90 mph) 1-minute sustained: 155 km/h (100 mph)
Lowest pressure	962 hPa (mbar); 28.41 inHg
Fatalities	14
Damage	$12 million (1970 South Pacific and Australian region cyclone seasons

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ada was a small but intense

Cyclone Ada was first noted by

As Ada reached North Queensland, the BoM issued cyclone warnings on a three-hour cycle, with more frequent bulletins occasionally released as needed. Flood warnings were issued for watersheds of susceptible rivers like the Pioneer and Connors. The bureau's post-storm assessment of the disaster revealed that local broadcasts of advisories were sometimes delayed by several hours or not made at all, and public awareness was generally inadequate. In a misguided attempt to quell panic, one radio station appended the BoM's warning with an unapproved message that there was no cause for alarm because of the cyclone's small size. Due to the unusual nature of the storm, including its delayed arrival in some areas, many residents criticised or disregarded forecasts. Additionally, many tourists in the region were unfamiliar with the dangers of tropical cyclones.^[1] Findings from studies of the public response to Ada were used as the basis for upgraded warning systems and the introduction of more cyclone education campaigns; these initiatives were credited with saving lives and property in later storms such as Cyclone Althea in December 1971.^[6]

Impact

Offshore, the 16.7 m (55 ft)

In the Whitsundays, Ada's impact was most severe on Hayman, Long, Daydream, South Molle, and Hook islands.^[3] Peak winds in the storm's path were not recorded, but based on the severity of the damage, it is estimated that gusts may have exceeded 220 km/h (140 mph). Many trees were either blown over or debarked and stripped of their foliage,^[4] with scraps of roofing material left hanging from their limbs.^[11] Throughout the islands, Ada ravaged resorts and boats, forcing hundreds of holidaymakers to await emergency rescue.^[12]

Most of the accommodation cabins were destroyed on South Molle Island, where a woman in one of the structures was killed and her partner severely injured.^[4] Damage on South Molle amounted to $500,000.^[11] On Hayman Island, the winds unroofed most cabins and other buildings,^[4] accounting for an estimated $1 million in damage.^[11] Long Island was subjected to Ada's left-front quadrant—the most intense part of the storm—and the Palm Bay Resort there was devastated, with only a few huts remaining.^[4] However, another resort on the western side of the island escaped relatively unscathed.^[11] The biggest resort in the Whitsundays at the time, on Daydream Island, was destroyed,^[4] requiring $400,000 to rebuild.^[11] About 150 tourists sought shelter in part of a recreation hall, which was the only major portion of a building left intact on Daydream.^[13] Nearly every building on Hook Island was lost, and four men remained sheltered there for a week after the storm. Farther south, rough seas broke apart a 90 m (300 ft) stone jetty at Brampton Island in the Cumberland Group.^[11]

Mainland

Torrential rains extended along mostly rural areas of the coast from Bowen to Mackay, while the strongest winds were concentrated in the area from Cannonvale to Shute Harbor and extending inland to Proserpine.^[1][3] Nine hours of damaging winds unroofed or otherwise damaged around 40% of the houses in Proserpine in what was described as the worst storm in the town's history at the time.^[4][12] Trees were uprooted, crops were flattened, and residential outhouses were blown apart.^[12][14] Elsewhere, in Shute Harbour, a motel and the few houses there were demolished, along with 85% of the homes in Airlie Beach and nearly all of Cannonvale's 200 houses.^[4][12] According to Minister for Mines and Main Roads Ron Camm, the cyclone forced 750 people from their homes. Around 200 storm victims sought refuge in a school in Cannonvale that was converted into an emergency shelter.^[14]

As the winds subsided, the weakening cyclone dropped as much as 1.25 m (49 in) of rain, resulting in massive river flooding near the coast.

In the islands, about 400 workers rushed to repair the resorts before peak tourism season; by mid-May, about 100 holiday cabins had been rebuilt and 20 boats restored to service.[11] Hayman and Daydream islands reopened to guests in June and August 1970, respectively.^[7] South Molle Island changed ownership multiple times during the 1970s as it struggled to reattain its pre-Ada success,^[26] and many of the other resort islands were also sold as their owners were unable to meet the cost of renovations.^[27] The destruction of resorts in the Whitsundays triggered a sharp decline in Australian tourism revenue.^[28] Decades later, Ada is still regarded as a "defining" event in the development of the Whitsunday region.^[29] In 2016, Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan advocated for erecting a memorial to Ada's victims,^[7] and community members formed a small committee exploring this possibility in early 2017.^[30] In April 2019, Whitsunday Regional Council voted unanimously to approve $15,000 in funding for a memorial at Airlie Beach to be completed in time for the 50th anniversary of the disaster.^[31] Finally, on 18 January 2020, a stone monument, 1.7 m (5.6 ft) tall and inscribed with the names of the 14 cyclone victims, was unveiled at a ceremony attended by 200 people.^[32][33]

See also

• Climate of Australia
• Cyclone Debbie
• Cyclone Joy
• Cyclone Yasi

References