Howard promises rapid aid to cyclone-stricken areas

John Howard

MELBOURNE - Australian Prime Minister John Howard says the federal government and the military will do everything possible to help victims of Cyclone Larry, which hit far north Queensland this morning.

Mr Howard said he had spoken with Queensland Premier Peter Beattie last night, and they had agreed to work together on the relief effort.

"If any military assets are needed, they will be readily available," Mr Howard told reporters in Melbourne.

He said that could include the use of helicopters.

"This is certainly a very fearful and challenging time for the people of far north Queensland and I want them to know that their fellow Australians are with them," he said.

Frightened residents of far north Queensland have told of the terrible power of Cyclone Larry, which left a trail of destruction as it made landfall this morning.

Roofs were torn off buildings and trees flattened as the most destructive part of the storm hammered the coast near Innisfail, south of Cairns, bringing winds of up to 290kph.

"It's just frightening. I don't get scared much but this is something to make any man tremble in his boots," said Innisfail resident Des Hensler.

Bruce Gunn from the Cyclone Warning Centre said it was one of the biggest cyclones ever seen.

"We haven't had a cyclone of this category cross the coast in a populated area for quite a long time," he told ABC radio.

"It's a very grave situation."

Millions of dollars worth of sugar and banana crops have already been wiped out by Cyclone Larry, the hardest hit being the cane farming town Innisfail, south of Cairns.

Mr Howard said he was "very confident" the cyclone would not result in the chaos seen in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

"You are never totally prepared for something like this, but I am impressed that people have already been evacuated," he said.

"Australians are very good at responding to these things because everybody pitches in."

Mr Howard expressed confidence in the experience of Australian Defence Force personnel in handling disaster relief, particularly given their role in Indonesia's Banda Aceh after the tsunami.

Mr Howard, who will meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Melbourne this week, said he had no immediate plans to travel to the devastated area in Queensland.

"I think the important thing at the moment is to let the experts deal with the situation," he said.

Mr Howard said aid could include Australian Defence Force helicopters or the type of water purification equipment that proved useful during the tsunami relief operation in Aceh last year.

"Fortunately, the big army establishment at Townsville, the Lavarack Barracks ... is not all that far away," he told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

"All of this is to illustrate what might be needed. That may not be needed. The Queensland emergency authorities and police have a lot of equipment. It is just important in a situation like this that at the beginning the two governments make contact which we have done."

Mr Howard said under current disaster relief arrangements, the federal government undertook to pick up a large part of the disaster relief bill once a certain cost threshold was exceeded.

He said the most important thing was for people to look to their own devices, use common sense and follow the advice of local emergency authorities.

"We can hope that the worst passes without any loss of life," he said.

Mr Howard there could well be economic ramifications for farmers and the tourist industry but it was too early to say.

- AAP