MASS VACCINATIONS FOR CYCLONE LARRY SURVIVORS

From ABC News : "Queensland Health has begun a mass vaccination program for residents living in cyclone-ravaged areas of far north Queensland.

More than 40,000 people from South Johnstone to the Atherton Tablelands will be vaccinated.

Medical superintendent Jill Newland says the Health Department is concerned that the wet, cramped conditions could cause an outbreak of the common flu.

MENTAL HEALTH TEAMS NOW PART OF CYCLONE LARRY RECOVERY

The Queensland Health Department has announced that mental health temas are now operating in North Queensland communities that were devastated by the cyclone.

Health spokesman Kevin Freele said counselling would now play an essential role in helping the traumatised residents cope with the loss of their homes and jobs and small business.

The possibility of suicide rates increasing in the affected areas are being taken seriously, as the full impact of the cyclone begins to take its toll on residents.

Local MP Bob Katter warned last week, "I have a responsibility now to bring public attention to bear on what is now a very serious situation. There is a powder keg up there and it just needs somebody to strike a match."

More than 4000 locals now face unemployment for the nine or more months it will take for the banana industry to recover.

"The social breakdown is occurring now but it will move from being social breakdown to anti-social very swiftly unless people move to pick all those people," Mr Katter said.

"They are angry and they are going to vent is somewhere on some people. That is going to occur."

WESTPAC APOLOGISES FOR FREEZING CREDIT CARDS

Westpac Bank froze the credit card accounts of more than 1000 North Queensland customers during Cyclone Larry. They did it, they claim, for "protection".

But ABC News is reporting that local Westpac staff in Townsville were unaware of the "protection" program, presumably to stop fraud while electricity and phone lines were down.

Customers are angry : "There should be some warning and at least the banks in the districts that they've so gaily abandoned should be warned," one said.