AUSTRALIA: Tropical cyclone threatens sugar
Published: 03/19/2010, 7:30:20 AM
A tropical cyclone forced Australia's second-biggest coal port to close on Friday, halting millions of tonnes of coal shipments, and threatens to damage thousands of acres of sugarcane fields, according to Reuters.
BHP Billiton's Hay Point coal terminal had already ceased operations due to the approaching storm, which is packing winds of more than 150 kilometres per hour, with BHP adding that stockpile limits were starting to impact mining operations.
"We've ceased operations and our last ship has sailed," a Dalrymple port spokesman said, adding that it would be Monday at the earliest before the terminal could be expected to reopen.
Tropical cyclone Ului continues to track toward the coast of northern Queensland state and on current predictions is expected to hit land on Sunday morning near the sugar-growing region of Mackay, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Sugar farming group Canegrowers says crops have benefited from tropical downpours in recent weeks but torrential rains caused by the cyclone could flood canefields and damage crops.
"We've probably had enough rain for now but we can have cyclones all the way through to April so we have to run the gauntlet until then," said Canegrowers Chief Executive Ian Ballantyne.