Cyclone Yasi and earthly changes

It seems devastated Queensland has hardly had time to take a breath from the flooding as the residents along the northern coastline of the state are mopping up the mess and destruction left by cyclone Yasi. Like many I am gobsmacked at the constant battering my country is suffering from. I wonder when it will stop.

Two days ago Yasi was graded a Category 5 cyclone, the largest to ever hit Australia. Winds up to 280km per hour roared across the already damaged state. Yasi has now been downgraded to a Category 1 - tropical low - and heading inland toward Mt Isa from where it slammed into the coastline. The larger towns of Townsville and Cairns didn't report as much damage as the smaller communities along the northern coastline. Tidal surges sent waves crashing ashore two blocks into seaside communities and several small towns directly under Yasi's path — including Mission Beach, Cardwell and Tully — were hit hard by the powerful storm.

From what I have researched this morning I am happy to report that so far there are no reports of deaths but two people are missing in the Innisfail area.

Once again this area, a large producer of banana and sugar crops, has been devastated with crops flattened. The repercussions of a storm like this are always devastating in more ways than one, over 180,000 homes are without power, roofs have been ripped off and some flattened all together leaving 1000's of residents homeless. The effects of the damage will be felt for a long time to come. The effects of Yasi only add substantially to the frightening estimated $5.6 billion in damage from the floods since late November.

Our beautiful and fragile planet seems to be suffering major changes once again, not only from unexpected and devastating weather patterns in my wonderful homeland of Australia, but including unprecedented snow falls in northern USA leaving those areas in a standstill. The volcanic eruption in Iceland last year and the hurricane devastating Haiti only add to the long list of major changes we are experiencing. It seems to be happening more often and more devastating each time.

The sudden uprising in Egypt has left the country in utter turmoil; riots with hundreds injured and crowds out of control screaming for political changes. The trouble is spreading like wildfire and now includes Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Israel and Jordan. I sit and watch the live coverages in silence and wonder what the hell man is doing to himself. DO WE EVER LEARN!

I am not religious but do believe in God and cannot ignore that these changes have been predicted. As I sit here in beautiful Virgin Gorda listening to the waves lapping on our shore and the warm winds rustle our coconut palms I wonder when it will stop and how much are "we" - mankind - are responsible for these changes; we take and take from the earth and we take from each other. Governments waste incomprehensible amounts of money on projects that fail and the little man pays for it while the people in power line their coffers.

Something has to give..........I can only pray that we see the light before it is too late.