Cyclone Hits Northeastern Australia: Members and Missionaries Safe Tropical Cyclone Larry struck the northeastern coast of Australia on Monday, March 20, hitting land with sustained winds reaching 180 mph (290 kph) and causing substantial damage to many oceanfront and inland communities. The category five storm did not, however, take any casualties, and all missionaries are reported safe. There are no reports of Church member deaths or injuries. The absence of casualties from such a strong storm has been attributed to the widespread evacuation prior to the storm's landfall. Unfortunately, the towns of Cairns, Mareeba, and Innisfail are reported as some of the hardest hit areas, with significant damage to 55 percent of homes in the beach resort of Innisfail. Additionally, up to 50 percent of the banana and sugar cane crops in the area have been destroyed. There was slight water damage to the Atherton Branch meetinghouse and some exterior damage from downed trees to the Cairns Branch building. It is expected that the members of the Cairns district will assist in community cleanup efforts. The Church is evaluating the possibility of additional humanitarian response. Total damages from the storm are expected to run into hundreds of millions of dollars.