Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcia tore through parts of Queensland in northeast Australia, as officials urged residents to bunker down. The eye of the storm made landfall Friday morning local time as a Category 5 storm, before beginning to weaken as it moved south down the coast.
Queensland's new Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned residents to prepare for a "harrowing and terrifying experience" and implored them to "not go outside under any circumstances," but by Friday afternoon, it appeared Queensland had avoided a catastrophe -- with no deaths reported and structural damage isolated to areas including Rockhampton and Yeppoon.
It is the second cyclone to hit Australia in less than 24 hours, with Cyclone Lam making landfall early Friday morning in the Northern Territory. It also weakened as it moved inland.
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Tropical Cyclone Marcia made landfall in Queensland Friday morning
Winds of up to 100 km/h in eyewall of Cyclone Marcia
Cyclone Marcia downgraded from Category 3 to Category 2
The cyclone is heading south, expected to reach lower Queensland Saturday
Cyclone Lam has also weakened rapidly after making landfall