Evacuation has been ordered for the Red and Orange zones

Tropical Cyclone Debbie is currently a category 2 system and is likely to reach category 4 intensity at the time of crossing the Queensland coast, possibly even category 5.

Based on current forecasts as at 8am Sunday 26 March 2017, significant storm tide is expected across the Whitsunday Council Region.
Across the Whitsunday Council Region, Storm Tide is expected to effect and inundate the Red and Orange Zones. A Queensland Police directed evacuation has been ordered for the Red and Orange zones.

If your property is located in the Red and Orange Zones, you should finalise your cyclone preparations and packing of your evacuation kit and evacuate the Whitsunday Council Region and Cyclone Warning area by Sunday evening.

Chair of the Whitsunday Disaster Management Group and Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox said you should seek shelter with friends or family in the Blue or White zones to remove yourself from the Storm Tide risk.
“If you are unable to evacuate, the Cyclone Shelters in Bowen and Proserpine will be opened on Monday as a last resort,” he said today.
“The cyclone shelters have capacity for 800 people each and are only available to those people at highest risk from cyclone effects that have no other option.”

Residents in the Yellow storm tide evacuation zone are also encouraged to prepare to leave and finalise all cyclone preparations.
Yellow zone residents need to be ready to evacuate if directed, and reminded that leaving evacuation until Monday may mean evacuation routes are flooded and residents may not be able to leave the area.

For all the latest up to date information, follow the Whitsunday Disaster & Emergency Facebook page here - https://www.facebook.com/WhitsundayDisasterandEmergencyInformation/
Evacuation (Storm Tide) Maps and video can be viewed here http://www.whitsunday.qld.gov.au/522/Evacuation-Storm-Tide