We are safe,but not the trees

Well, the cyclone has passed and we are quite okay, but the poor Botanic Gardens has lost about a third of its collection. There are large expanses of open area for the wind to gather speed and there are so many trees snapped or pulled straight out of the ground. Everything was very very wet before the winds started they didn't stand a chance.

This last one shows Bill and Jock looking at one of the larger trees which fell. I gather the main damage sustained around Mackay has been tree damage, there are hundreds and hundreds of them down in the area. Thank goodness ours came down a month ago and not in this wind!

We were lucky enough to go through the night without losing power. I think there are still about 50,000 homes without power throughout the region - our son Dougal's is one. They have no phones either and mobile coverage is not very good. Dougal took our generator home with him so they can keep their freezer going and preserve their food. I gather the power may be out for a couple of days yet as huge trees have come down over power lines and have to be removed before the power can be reconnected.

Bill and I have stayed at home all day apart from going for a walk around the Botanic Gardens. There was not much damage in our immediate area so we have only been learning aboutthe extent of it very gradually. I don't think anyone was hurt which is a miracle.

Time for bed, we didn't have much sleep last night, far too noisy with the wind howling and the rain driving against the windows.