Australia’s flood-stricken state of Queensland closed major coal ports, evacuated tourists from vulnerable resorts and warned of heavy rain on Monday ahead of a massive cyclone due to slam into its coast this week.

Forecasters said Cyclone Yasi could be generating gales of more than 250 kph when it hits the coast on Wednesday or Thursday, which would put it on a par with Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans in 2005.

“This is a very serious threat,” Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told reporters. “It may be one of the largest and most significant cyclones we’ve ever had to deal with.”