After causing damage and resulting in at least 23 deaths in the Solomon Islands ‎on April 5, the category 5 Tropical Cyclone Ita came ashore in Queensland‎ in Australia’s northeast.

Dale McCarty VK3DMC reports that no Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network‎ (WICEN) activation has occurred so far, point in time.

He said frequencies are constantly monitored and many of the Far North Queensland‎ hams are checking in just to see how others are faring.

The frequencies are 7.088 MHz and 3.588 MHz until the cyclone which has been‎ downgraded to a category 1 continues to move south with strong winds and‎ flooding.

When the cyclone came ashore at Cooktown about 50 buildings were damaged‎ another five written off, road were blocked, water supply was critically,‎ power and communications affected.

A strong winds and torrential rain closing airports as the weather system‎ moved south to cause more damage. Sugar cane and banana crops were flattened.

The population were well prepared with many taking refuge in community shelters.‎ The mobile phone service remained mostly intact and fibre optic cables provided ‎communication with some areas.

Tropical Cyclone Ita has formed over the northern Coral Sea to engulf the ‎Solomon Islands which has at least 23 people dead, about 30 people missing, ‎and has left 49,000 homeless.

The country was also felt a 7.6-magnitude earthquake 96 kilometres south southeast ‎of the provincial capital of Kirakira, but it caused minimal damage.

– Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

As Tropical Cyclone Ita impacts on far northern area  of Australia, WICEN
has declared a number of frequencies for health and welfare traffic including
7.088 MHz an 3.588 MHz, as well as 2m and 70cm.

Dale McCarthy VK4DMC reports that at this point in time the cyclone has crossed
the coast at Cape Flattery which is just north of Cooktown as a severe category
4 system.

Cooktown is experiencing very strong wind and heavy rain. The system will
track south/west over the next 12 to 24 hours and possibly impact on the
Atherton Tablelands, Port Douglas and Cairns before heading south towards
Townsville.

– Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

The Radio Club de Chile has been activated due to earthquake. It is working in collaboration with ONEMI, National Emergency Office of the Ministry of Interior and Public Security.

Media reports are that five have died in the 8.2 magnitude on the Ritcher scale earthquake which hit off shore Chile sparking a tsunami warning.

All emergency frequencies and others may be in use.

– Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

The vanishing of the Malaysian Airline (MAS) Boeing 777-200ER jetliner with
239 passengers on board is a mystery that nine nations are trying to solve.

When flight MH370, ex-Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing, disappeared from the
air traffic control radar, the MAS Emergency Management Centre (EMC) at Kuala
Lumpur Airport provided accommodation for all next-of-kin at the Everly Hotel
at Putrajaya.

The Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters’ Society President, Mohd Aris Bernawi
9M2IR, said MARTS was asked to provide a link between the airport and the
hotel.

Mohd 9M2IR said at the hotel MARTS quickly set up a station, led by Zanirul
Akhmal Zanirun 9M2PRO, and Azizi Samsuri 9W2ZZE was the MAS team leader.

NESRAC, a club from Negeri Sembilan, provided the volunteers for the station
at the airport’s Emergency Management Centre.

MARTS provided a cross-band VHF/UHF link to avoid any unnecessary interference
from the public services. An HF link was later added.

During the call-out there were 11 volunteers at EMC and 23 volunteers at
the hotel, on a shift roster for the link.

Mohd 9M2IR, who oversaw the entire process, said MARTS an IARU member society,
was pleased to be able provide the link on the very tragic occasion. The
search for MH370 continues.

– Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.