Destructive wind gusts are hammering remote communities in the Top End, with tropical cyclone Fina strengthening as it nears major population centres.
Fina passed over the Cobourg Peninsula overnight and into the Van Diemen Gulf on Saturday, moving slowly to track just north of the Northern Territory capital, Darwin.
Earlier in the morning, the Bureau of Meteorology said the system had been upgraded to category three.
A cyclone warning zone was in place for Darwin, the Daly River Mouth to Cape Don, including the Tiwi Islands, Dundee Beach, Milikapiti, Pirlangimpi and Wurrumiyanga.
At 10:30 AM Darwin time, Cyclone Fina was observed with sustained winds reaching 130 km/h and gusts climbing up to 185 km/h. The cyclone was positioned 85 km northeast of Darwin, causing significant concern for the region.
At the third tier of severity, cyclones can bring wind gusts of up to 224km/h and cause structural damage to properties.
“Very destructive wind gusts are likely about exposed coastal sites northeast of Darwin today, but the risk at Darwin is assessed as low,” the weather bureau said.
The city could still cop destructive and damaging wind gusts.
The threat of heavy rainfall looms over coastal areas from the Tiwi Islands to Warruwi, potentially leading to flash flooding across the western Top End, including Darwin. These conditions are expected to persist through Saturday and Sunday, prompting authorities to issue warnings.
Speaking in South Africa, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged people in the cyclone’s path to look after themselves and others.
“My thoughts are with people at this time and also with the emergency service workers and others who will be working hard,” he said.
The Northern Territory Emergency Service has reassured residents that most buildings in Darwin are structurally sound to endure the storm’s impact. Nonetheless, they advise everyone to remain indoors until the severe winds subside.
Some island areas have already experienced a deluge, recording 200 mm of rain within just 24 hours. Darwin is bracing for similar downpours, which could exacerbate the situation.
Senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said 150 to 180km/h category three winds would be near the centre of the cyclone, with winds of up to 120km/h in Darwin.
Those wind strengths would be “easily enough to cause property damage and bring down trees and powerlines”, he told ABC News.
In anticipation of the intensifying weather, the majority of businesses in Darwin have opted to close, prioritizing the safety of their employees and customers. The community is urged to stay prepared and cautious as the cyclone continues its course. Source: SBS News / Josh van Staden
As the wind and the rain ramped up in Darwin, most businesses decided to close. Source: SBS News / Josh van Staden
Narramore said the impacts were highly dependent on the exact track and intensity of Fina.
“If it moves a bit further north, less impacts for Darwin, more impacts for the Tiwi,” he said.
“But if it wobbles a little bit further south this afternoon, we could see more impacts in Darwin.”
Alice Williams, the office co-ordinator for the Tiwi Islands Regional Council at Milikapiti, near the most northerly reach of the territory, told AAP the winds were starting to pick up and some people were a “little bit anxious”.
Sirens were ready to activate, so the community knew the weather was worsening and it was time to shelter, she said.
The community of about 500 had plenty of food, water and fuel and two extra police officers were on hand to assist.
People had moved to public shelters in the council office and primary school on Friday evening, while others chose to stay at homes deemed safe, Williams said.
As the wind and the rain ramped up in Darwin, most businesses were closed, including major supermarkets.
‘Your fellow Australians are with you’
Federal help has been offered to the NT government, Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said on Friday.
“What I would say to Northern Territory communities right now is your fellow Australians are with you,” she told reporters in Canberra.
Top End residents have been stocking up on basics with bottled water, bread, canned goods and other household supplies flying off supermarket shelves.
Conditions are set to ease in the Top End by late Sunday as Fina moves further offshore, although the storm is forecast to strengthen to a category 4 system after it passes Darwin and heads towards Western Australia tomorrow.
