Authorities have issued a warning that Tropical Cyclone Narelle is set to strike Australia’s northwest coast as a severe Category 4 storm. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) reported that the cyclone, currently at Category 3 strength, is expected to intensify to Category 4 before reaching the remote Pilbara region. The cyclone is forecasted to bring very destructive wind gusts of up to 275 km per hour and heavy rainfall.
The WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) has issued an emergency alert for a 600 km stretch of coast, advising residents to prepare for shelter and ensure mobile devices are charged in case of power outages. The warning zone includes Karratha, the largest city in the Pilbara region with a population of around 22,000 people. Schools have been closed, and airlines have canceled flights in and out of Port Hedland, the second-largest population center in the region.
Tropical Cyclone Narelle previously hit the east coast state of Queensland as a Category 4 storm and the Northern Territory as a Category 3 storm. Despite minimal damage, over 100 millimeters of rain fell in the Northern Territory, leading to warnings of minor to major flooding by Australia’s BOM. The storm’s arrival coincided with a severe wet season in the region, causing damaging floods and necessitating evacuations.
