By Blessing Nweke
Residents in northern Australia have been urged to take shelter after Tropical Cyclone Narelle made landfall early Friday, bringing destructive winds and heavy rainfall across parts of Queensland.
The system crossed the eastern coast of Cape York Peninsula with wind gusts reaching up to 220 km/h before weakening from a category four to a category three cyclone, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Despite the downgrade, authorities warned that the storm remains dangerous, with gusts still around 155 km/h and rainfall totals expected to reach 500mm in some areas.
State officials said emergency services were deployed both on land and by air, with helicopters surveying damage and rescue crews, medical teams and power workers positioned to respond. Around 3,500 homes were reported without electricity as of mid-morning.
The small town of Coen narrowly avoided the worst of the cyclone, but nearby residents reported significant damage. Debbie Jackson, who lives north of the town, described widespread destruction, saying roofs had been torn off and trees uprooted.
Premier David Crisafulli warned the storm could be among the worst in living memory for some communities, stressing the heightened risk of flash flooding due to already saturated ground conditions. Disaster officials also cautioned residents not to venture outside during the cyclone’s eye, warning that conditions could rapidly worsen again.
Further south, coastal erosion has impacted Port Douglas—a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef—and beaches near Cairns.
The cyclone is forecast to track west across the peninsula and into the Gulf of Carpentaria, where warm waters may strengthen it again as it approaches the Northern Territory. Evacuations have already taken place, with residents from remote communities moved to Darwin as a precaution.
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