A Growing Concern...

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Tsunami warning buoys needed: Beattie

Monday Apr 2 21:10 AEST

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie says the federal government must establish a tsunami warning system to avert confusion seen when a tsunami alert was issued on Australia's east coast.

Homes, hospitals, schools and beaches were evacuated and panic gripped parts of the east coast as residents braced for a possible tsunami following a powerful earthquake that struck in the Solomon Islands at 6.40am (AEST).

The quake sent a tsunami crashing into some nearby low-lying islands and sparked a Pacific-wide tsunami alert.

At the height of the crisis, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology issued a tsunami alert for Australia's entire east coast, including Tasmania, warning dangerous waves and currents may strike.

Beaches right along the coast were closed.

In Queensland, the threat had eased by as early as 9.30am (AEST) but the warnings sparked panic, with many people in low-lying areas fleeing for higher ground.

Cairns Base Hospital and Cairns Private Hospital cancelled elective surgery and outpatient clinics, and evacuated the first floor.

Townsville City Council activated its local disaster management group while a central Queensland mayor ordered, then later cancelled, the evacuation of low-lying areas around Yeppoon.

Some schools in the Cairns, Mackay, Townsville and Bowen area were also closed as a precaution.

Cooktown was the first Queensland coastal area expected to be hit, its council notified through media reports.

Queensland Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney said the government should have learned lessons from the deadly Boxing Day tsunami in 2004.

"Confusion reigned supreme this morning," he said.

"It was almost impossible to find out the details of the extent of the threat and the response to that threat was anything but appropriate."

More: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=258017