CNN.com – Cyclone hits Australia ‘like atomic bomb’ – Mar 20, 2006: “CAIRNS, Australia (AP) — Amazingly, there were no fatalities and only 30 people suffered minor injuries as cyclone Larry pounded northeastern Queensland state early Monday with winds gusting to 290 kilometers per hour (180 mph). Damage was expected to run into hundreds of millions of dollars.
Hardest hit was Innisfail, a farming city of 8,500 people 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the tourist city of Cairns.
‘It looks like an atomic bomb hit the place,’ Innisfail mayor Neil Clarke told Australian television. ‘It is severe damage. This is more than a local disaster, this is a national disaster.’ (Watch how Larry tore into the Australian coast — 2:10)
The town urgently needed accommodation for people whose homes were damaged, a power supply to feed hospitals and other infrastructure, he said, adding: ‘We won’t even have any water to drink by tomorrow.’
There was no official count of the homeless Monday, but given the number of homes badly damaged, the figure could run into the thousands, Clarke said.
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A kiss for Camilla from the Queen: “With her warm, down-to-earth nature and sterling support of her husband’s role, the Duchess of Cornwall has won praise from royal watchers since stepping onto the public stage last year. And yesterday, by accepting a kiss from Camilla, the Queen gave the clearest sign yet she’s welcomed her daughter-in-law into the fold as a senior royal and an integral part of the Windsor family.
The affectionate exchange came as the royal ladies were in Wales to inaugurate a new Welsh National Assembly building.They were accompanied at the Saint David’s Day opening of the ?67 million Senedd by Prince Charles and the Duke of Edinburgh.
When the two couples met at Cardiff Airport, Camilla, elegant in a powder-blue coat and hat, curtseyed and waited for a sign from the Queen, who proffered her cheek warmly. The family scene was completed when Prince Philip also gave his son a peck.
‘Regardless of the trials and tribulations of the past, the Queen has accepted the Duchess and is happy for her to take her place at the Prince’s side,’ said an insider.
Meanwhile the rest of Britain is also getting ready to mark the Queen’s 80th birthday, and an official website has been launched featuring 160 cherished photos of the royal family. Providing a rare glimpse into the monarch’s life, the site also includes her birth certificate and a letter she wrote as a child thanking her grandmother, Queen Mary, for a birthday gift.
‘Darling Granny, Thank you very much for the lovely doll’s house,’ it reads. ‘I do love it. Love from Lilibet xxx.’”
