New article: Cyclone: Thousands evacuate in Queensland, Australia read more at here http://www.spinonews.com/index.php/world/item/3121-cyclone-thousands-evacuate-in-queensland-australia

About 25,000 people have been told to evacuate as a cyclone carrying winds of up to 275km/h (170 mph) moves towards the Queensland coast.

Cyclone Debbie has intensified into a Category 4 system and is due to make landfall early on Tuesday local time.

Some people have refused to leave despite warnings the destructive core could be as wide as 100km (62 miles).

All flights have been cancelled at Townsville Airport and Mackay Airport

Queensland authorities have closed 102 schools, 81 early childhood education centres and two ports.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the storm would rival the devastating Cyclone Yasi in 2011.

Late on Monday, Ms Palaszczuk urged 25,000 residents in low-lying areas of Mackay to immediately find safer ground. More than 5,000 other Queenslanders were already evacuating their homes.

In its latest update, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said the cyclone could "intensify further" as it moved towards the Queensland coast.

It is expected to make landfall sometime after 07:00 on Tuesday (20:00 GMT Monday) anywhere in a 265km zone from Townsville to Proserpine.

"That is the uncertainty of cyclones," said Bureau of Meteorology regional director Bruce Gunn.

Authorities warned the cyclone could coincide with high tide, which is expected to peak at 3.2m. The storm surge could add an additional 4m, Ms Palaszczuk said.

She said this would bring dangerous risk of flooding, especially around Mackay.

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the weather contributed to the death of a woman in a car crash.