Australia Cyclone cautionary Grips Flood-Ravaged North

Australia Cyclone cautionary Grips Flood-Ravaged North: SYDNEY - Authorities scrambled to airlift patients hospitalized in the path of a cyclone roaring north-waterlogged and Australia urged to evacuate communities in low because of potentially deadly flash floods.

Cyclone Yasi was crashing on the coast of Queensland on Wednesday a Category 4 violent storm and plunge up to III feet (one meter) of rain down on residential district* already soppy with months of flooding.

"This storm is enormous and it's life in danger," Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said. "I know many of us will feel that Queensland has already raised almost as much as we can endure when it comes to disasters and storms, but more is asked of us - and I am convinced that we are able to meet this new challenge. "

Yasi was barreling toward the coast of Queensland as a strong Category 3 storm with winds of 137 mph (220 kph) but should become a Category 4 storm with winds up to 155 mph (250 kph) by Wednesday.

Bligh said the military airlift of 250 patients waterfront Cairns Base Hospital and Cairns Private flights to Brisbane, the state capital.

Although there is no mandatory evacuation orders yet, residents of waterfront and low areas of the city of Cairns to Townsville were asked to leave.

Ian Stewart, coordinator of disaster the state, said many people were to decide on their personal to void and he would discuss with the mayors of whether the forced evacuations were necessary.

"In reality, we want people to go as far south as possible, as quickly as possible, without of course breaking the rules," he said.

Another storm, Hurricane Anthony hit Queensland on Monday morning but quickly weakened and has little more to uproot trees and damage power lines.

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Queensland has already suffered flooding from heavy rains began in November. The floodwaters have killed 35 people, damaged or demolished thirty, thousands homes and businesses and left Brisbane, the third largest city in Australia, under water for days.