WA: John a socialising excuse for Karratha residents

AAP General News (Australia)
12-15-1999
WA: John a socialising excuse for Karratha residents

BRISBANE, Dec 15 AAP - Many residents of Karratha considered Cyclone John anything
but a threat or inconvenience early today.

They used the big storm as an excuse for a spot of indoor cricket or catching up with
household chores.

About 1,500 people were evacuated from low-lying areas of the town late yesterday,
many spending an uncomfortable night in sleeping bags in three schools set up as evacuation
centres.

But spirits remained high and for many John was seen more as a socialising event.

At St Luke's College, Karratha's only Catholic high school and one of the official
shelters, children played indoor cricket with rolled up newspapers and balls fashioned
from paper and tape.

Eamon Moore, St Luke's curriculum coordinator and an evacuee who slept last night on
a bed of towels, said: "Everyone's in really good spirits here at the moment, it's a nice
little community happening. Everyone is banding together very nicely."

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KEYWORD: JOHN COLOUR

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