Residents of northern Australia batten down homes, businesses ahead of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Residents have begun battening down homes and businesses with Tropical Cyclone Kirrily forecast to cross the Australian northeast coast on Thursday, bringing destructive winds and flooding rain. Authorities said the storm system was still tracking west across the Coral Sea and that gusts of 140 kph (87 mph) are forecast as the cyclone crossed the mainland on Thursday night. More than 100 schools in the affected region were closed on Thursday the Queensland state government said, while several Australia Day national holiday celebrations scheduled for Friday had been cancelled. Several airlines have cancelled its flights to and from Townsville and Hamilton Island.