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In Brief
- Cyclone Narelle is set to make landfall at 7am on Friday (AEST)
- The initial Category 5 storm has been downgraded to Category 4
The residents of far north Queensland are preparing for what could be the most severe cyclone in over a century, as a potential category 4 storm is anticipated to hit the area on Friday morning.
Angus Hines from the Bureau of Meteorology characterized Tropical Cyclone Narelle as an “extremely powerful weather system,” underscoring the seriousness of the situation as the cyclone approaches.
“They don’t come any more powerful than this,” Hines added, emphasizing the cyclone’s intensity.
Initially expected to strike Queensland’s far north as a maximum category five cyclone, Narelle has been gaining strength in the Coral Sea, with wind gusts soaring up to 285 km/h.
However, by 4 am (AEST), the Bureau of Meteorology revised its status to a category 4 cyclone, noting sustained winds at its core of 195 km/h and gusts reaching 270 km/h.
The monster storm is expected to make landfall about 7am (AEST) on Friday between Lockhart River and Cape Melville.
A cyclone warning zone has been declared for Lockhart River and Cape Flattery, and between Mapoon and Pormpuraaw, including Coen, Weipa, and Aurukun.
Vulnerable residents have been evacuated, tourists have returned home and schools have closed.
More than 100 emergency services personnel have been deployed as police go door-to-door to ensure locals are prepared.
After crossing Cape York, the storm is expected to lash the Northern Territory’s Top End before moving to Western Australia’s Kimberley coast.
About 500 people will be evacuated from NT’s remote Gulf of Carpentaria community of Numbulwar in the coming days.
Residents choosing to ride out the storm have been warned emergency services will not respond if conditions are too dangerous.
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