As Cyclone Jasper went through Far North Queensland last night, locals turned to News Corp’s Cairns Post online for updates.

The paper had apologised yesterday for being unable to deliver to home delivery customers, and said most shops and newsagents were closed.

The daily lifted its paywall on storm reports, but reactions on social media were mixed. One post critical of an “over dramatic” headline drew a response from editorial: “The power is out at 40,000 homes (‘power cut’), almost 400mm of rain has been dumped around the region (‘relentless rain’) and we have footage of a boat sinking at a marina (‘sinking boats’). Not overdramatic, just simple facts,” a staffer wrote.

Since 2012, the paper has been printed in Townsville, where a new five-tower manroland Geoman press and expanded Ferag mailroom had been commissioned two years earlier. The new pressline escaped damage when tropical Cyclone Yasi swept through Townsville in February 2011.

The Cairns Post and Townsville Bulletin were among rare print-and-digital survivors when News closed numerous print mastheads in 2020.