Tropical Cyclone Larry smashed Australia's northeastern coast with winds up to 290 kph. Queensland state Premier Peter Beattie has declared a state of emergency.
"It's the worst cyclone we've had in decades" - Premier Peter Beattie .
The Bureau of Meteorology on Monday upgraded the cyclone to a category five - the strongest category possible - shortly before it crossed the coast, passed directly over Australia's Great Barrier Reef at the coastal community of Innisfail, about 96 kilometres south of Cairns. Currently it has been reduced to a category four after the storm hit land. Government and emergency officials were meeting Monday in Canberra to discuss sending troops to help clean up the cyclone-stricken area. Prime Minister John Howard said he was confident the cyclone would not result in the chaos seen in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Up to 50,000 homes are without power, and were expected to remain without electricity for several days.
