Cyclone Ada was a small but intense tropical cyclone that severely impacted the Whitsunday Region of Queensland, Australia, in January 1970. It formed over the far eastern Coral Sea early in the month, remaining weak and disorganised for nearly two weeks before being named. The extremely compact cyclone, with a reported gale radius of 55 km (35 mi), intensified into a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone just before striking the Whitsunday Islands on 17 January. Resorts on Daydream, South Molle, Hayman and Long islands were obliterated. Based on the severity of the damage, wind gusts were later estimated at 220 km/h (140 mph). Near the point of Ada's landfall, almost all the homes in Cannonvale, Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour were destroyed. Rainfall totals as high as 1.25 m (49 in) caused massive river flooding in coastal waterways between Bowen and Mackay. Ada killed 14 people, including 11 at sea, and caused A$12 million in damage.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Ada

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1833:

With the arrival of two British naval ships at the Falkland Islands, the United Kingdom re-asserted sovereignty there. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reassertion_of_British_sovereignty_over_the_Falkland_Islands_%281833%29

1911:

A 7.7 Mw earthquake destroyed the city of Almaty in Russian Turkestan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1911_Kebin_earthquake

1976:

The multilateral International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, part of the International Bill of Human Rights, came into effect. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Covenant_on_Economic,_Social_and_Cultural_Rights

1990:

United States invasion of Panama: General Manuel Noriega, the deposed strongman of Panama, surrendered to American forces. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Noriega

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

castle in the air: (idiomatic) A desire, idea, or plan that is unlikely to ever be realized; a visionary project or scheme; a daydream, an idle fancy, a near impossibility. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/castle_in_the_air

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

How long will men dare to call anything expedient that is not right? Can odium and infamy be of service to any empire, which ought to be supported by glory and by the good-will of its allies?   --Cicero https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Cicero