The north-east of Australia is bracing itself for more torrential rain when a tropical cyclone is due to hit land late on Sunday.

Cyclone Steve, with wind gusts of up to 140 km/h (90 mph) is expected to cross the coast near Cairns, where residents are still mopping up after a rainstorm dumped 15cm (six inches) of water on the city in just six hours early on Saturday.

Coast Guard spokeswoman Lorraine Johns criticised two boats that left for the Great Barrier Reef, the area's main tourist attraction, early on Sunday, ignoring warnings of the dangerous weather. "It is pretty stupid for them to go out when they knew there was a cyclone out there," she said.

 Full Story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_658000/658624.stm