Tropical Cyclone Jasper weakens while still lashing northeastern Australia with flooding rain

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The first tropical cyclone to hit Australia in the current season has weakened to a low pressure system but continues to lash the northeast coast with flooding rain. Almost 40,000 homes and businesses are without power. Cyclone Jasper crossed the Queensland state coast late Wednesday as a category 2 storm on a five-tier scale that whipped the sparsely populated region with winds of up to 87 mph. The storm crossed near the Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal, though many of its 300 residents evacuated before Jasper struck. Katrina Hewitt operates tourist accommodation at Wujal Wujal and did not evacuate. She tells Nine Network television the community is largely unscathed except for damaged trees.