An 80 hectare property in Hope Vale, north of Cooktown, were toppled when Ita made landfall as a category four cyclone near the town on Friday night.
Late Friday night just north of Cooktown, an 80 hectare banana farm in Hope vale has been wiped out by cyclone Ita. Various reports are suggesting different damage bills but we’ve heard the bill could reach the million dollar mark.
Hope Vale Mayor Greg McLean was quoted saying ” theorchard, which was expected to produce 100,000 cartons of Cavendish bananas this year, had employed 30-40 workers in a region plagued by unemployment. Thankfully, none of the workers will be laid off as they’ll all be needed to remove toppled trees and begin replanting.”
If you have lost your job as a result of this Cyclone there’s many more fruit picking and harvest jobs in the surrounding regions. The town’s small cyclone shelter was packed on Friday night. Approximately 800 people bunkered down and some were forced to sleep sitting up.
Do you know anyone affected by Cyclone Ita?
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