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Cyclone Yasi devastated many towns in northern Queensland, including Tully (pictured). (Getty: Jonathan Wood)
Northern Queensland residents who acted bravely and selflessly during Cyclone Yasi have been honoured at ceremonies today.
Around 150 people in Townsville and 110 people in Cairns and the Cassowary Coast region have been given commemorative medals.
The cyclone devastated the region in February, a disaster Premier Anna Bligh said has led to stories of "bravery and courage".
Those honoured include volunteers at evacuation centres and those who distributed aid or created Facebook pages to update people during the unfolding disaster.
"Then there are the many volunteers who rose across the region, to clean and repair in every street, offer words of comfort and basic supplies like food and drink as the cyclone subsided," Ms Bligh.
"They came from far and wide to help people they did not even know."
Nine events are being staged during Queensland Week to honour those who acted bravely during and after summer's natural disasters.
On Saturday, 200 people were recognised at a ceremony in Gatton, west of Brisbane.
Raymond Van Dijk was one of those honoured for saving 23 people on his canoe when flash flooding devastated Grantham.
"It was horrific; it's something I'll never forget - scared me for life. It's like 15 minutes to get to the roof. It's really crazy," he said.
Gary Topp set up an emergency evacuation centre in Helidon when January's devastating flash flooding hit.
He says he simply did what he could to help the community.
"We didn't sign up for it ... it was just something that happened and we don't expect any of this," he said.
"It's all just everybody get back to normal and we go back to our lives, that's the main thing."
Other ceremonies will be held in Rockhampton on Monday, Dalby and Emerald on Tuesday, Bundaberg on Wednesday, Toowoomba and Ipswich on Saturday, and Brisbane next Sunday.
- ABC/AAP
Chat about this story w/ TalkitaSource: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/05/3236007.htm
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