Cyclone Yasi has been downgraded to category 4 after it moved onshore crossing the coast in Northeast Queensland this morning.

It hit mission Beach and Tully on the coast between Cairns and Townsville. Reports of major damage were coming in with powerpoles downs, roofs off and flodding however at this stage no reports of deaths or injuries have been reported.

A few residents of Cairns further north believed that got off lightly compared to their counterparts with winds between 40 and 60 kph just an hour ago compared to gusts of 290kph further south.

The storms fury is still in full force as it heads over the interior but is gradually expected to ease back.