THE TENSION: Tropical Cyclone Larry Pounds Northeast Australia

This satellite image released by the Bureau of Meteorology shows cyclone Larry over northeastern Australia Sunday, March 19, 2006. Powerful tropical cyclone Larry packing winds of up to 290 kph (180 mph) ripped the roofs off buildings and destroyed houses as he smashed into the coastal community of Innisfail, about 100 kilometers (60 kilometers) south of Cairns, a popular jumping-off point for the Great Barrier Reef, sending hundreds of residents fleeing for higher ground Monday.(AP Photo/Bureau of Meteorology, HO)

This satellite image released by the Bureau of Meteorology shows cyclone Larry Sunday, March 19, 2006. Powerful tropical cyclone Larry packing winds of up to 290 kph (180 mph) ripped the roofs off buildings and destroyed houses as he smashed into the coastal community of Innisfail, about 100 kilometers (60 kilometers) south of Cairns, a popular jumping-off point for the Great Barrier Reef, sending hundreds of residents fleeing for higher ground Monday. (AP Photo/Bureau of Meteorology, HO)

A vehicle drives on a street in rainstorm in Cairns, northeastern Australia, in this image taken from television Monday, March 20, 2006. Powerful Tropical Cyclone Larry, with winds of up to 290 kph (180 mph), ripped roofs off buildings and uprooted trees across Australia's northeastern coast Monday, packing winds so powerful that emergency workers were forced to stay inside despite pleas from terrified residents. (AP Photo/APTN)

Trees fall down on the ground in front of a house in Cairns, northeastern Australia, in this image taken from television Monday, March 20, 2006. Powerful Tropical Cyclone Larry, with winds of up to 290 kph (180 mph), ripped roofs off buildings and uprooted trees across Australia's northeastern coast Monday, packing winds so powerful that emergency workers were forced to stay inside despite pleas from terrified residents. (AP Photo/APTN)

COMMENTLINE
There's some heavy weather downunder.

NEWSLINE
With winds up to 180 mph, Tropical Cyclone Larry smashed into the coastal community of Innisfail, about 60 miles south of Cairns, a popular jumping-off point for the Great Barrier Reef, sending hundreds of tourists and residents fleeing for higher ground.

NEWSBYTES
Tropical Cyclone Rips Northeast Australia
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- A powerful tropical cyclone ripped the roofs off buildings and uprooted trees in northeastern Australia, tearing across the region on Monday with devastating winds that kept emergency workers inside despite pleas from terrified residents.

'One in three' roofs gone
(Sydney Morning Herald) -- One in three houses have lost their roofs and several people have been hurt in the coastal town where Tropical Cyclone Larry made landfall.

Second cyclone following path of Larry
(Sydney Morning Herald) -- A second cyclone has formed behind Tropical Cyclone Larry but is not yet posing a threat to the far north Queensland coast.

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