UPDATE: Thursday, Feb. 3, 8:45 a.m.: A group of Gustavus students that had been stranded in Cairns, Queensland, Australia due to Cyclone Yasi, is expected to return home Friday, Feb. 4, as originally scheduled. The storm made landfall Wednesday morning and produced high winds and heavy rain. The hardest hit area ended up being just south of where the group from Gustavus was staying.
UPDATE: Wednesday, Feb. 2, 10:35 a.m.: Cyclone Yasi, which is currently affecting areas in Northeast Australia made landfall late Wednesday night in Australia (Wednesday morning in the U.S.). Director of International and Cultural Education Carolyn O’Grady continues to receive regular communication via e-mail from Professor of Physics Chuck Niederriter, who reports that the group is safe and that the brunt of the storm appears to be tracking well south of the group’s location.
Here is short video clip of Carolyn O’Grady explaining the situation in Australia as it stood on Wednesday morning:
Original post, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 10:45 p.m.: Eighteen Gustavus students are currently abroad in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, where a Category 5 cyclone is due to make landfall Wednesday morning. They are in the area as part of an astronomy study trip led by Gustavus Physics Professor Dr. Chuck Niederriter and his wife Debbie. The group is accompanied by the Niederriters’ daughter and Graduate Assistant Danielle Berg. The group is staying in a resort hotel in Cairns that is judged by local emergency officials to be a safe location for shelter in the storm.
Dr. Carolyn O’Grady, Director of International and Cultural Education at the College, has been in steady contact with Dr. Niederriter, who reported this evening that the group is safe, has plenty of food and water, and is prepared for the high winds and rain expected in the area over the next 24-36 hours. He indicated that the students, who spent much of the day helping with sandbagging in the area, are in good spirits.
Dr. O’Grady has been in contact with the American Citizen Services Unit at the U.S. Consulate General in Sydney, which has also been in direct contact with Dr. Niederriter. “Great care has been taken to make sure our students will be safe,” O’Grady said. “We have total confidence in Chuck Niederriter’s leadership during the storm.” O’Grady is regularly updating parents of the students on the trip, and this web story will be updated as information becomes available.
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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510