Tropical cyclones batter Western Australia as residents face isolation, destruction warnings remain high despite downgrade.
Residents in towns like Exmouth are now cut off by land and air after Cyclone Narelle caused extensive damage to infrastructure while emergency chiefs warn that the storm still packs a punch even though it has been downgraded from category 2 status. Although officials advise staying inside if near the eye, warnings persist for communities ravaged across Western Australia as destruction continues in areas like Geraldton where hazards remain significant despite recent re-intensification off the northern coast of WA.
Key Points
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1Tropical Cyclone Narelle has been downgraded to a tropical low but remains dangerous with wind speeds up to 185 km/h.
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2Residents in Exmouth and other isolated coastal towns are assessing extensive damage after the cyclone crossed Western Australia's coast at Coral Bay on Friday morning. Geraldton is currently under an emergency warning as authorities urge people staying near storm eyes not leave their homes.
Developments
Perspectives
Exmouth has been cut off by both land and air following extensive damage caused to the town.
— [Mar 28, 03:35] Exmouth cut off by land and air after Cyclone Narelle causes 'extensive' damage (Smh.com.au)Although Tropical Cyclone Narelle has been downgraded from a tropical cyclone to a fast-moving low-pressure system as it tracks south, the destructive trail of destruction is only just emerging.
— [Mar 27, 23:40] Cyclone Narelle: Storm downgraded but WA still lashed as damage toll emerges (Thewest.com.au)Residents in isolated coastal towns are currently assessing and counting the cost of destruction after being battered by a cyclonic system that was later downgraded to category two.
— [Mar 27, 21:57] Cyclone Narelle: Residents count the cost after cyclone ravages towns (Thewest.com.au)Residents in storm-ravaged communities are being warned not to let their guard down because even though Ex-tropical Cyclone Narelle has been weakened, it remains a dangerous hazard.
— [Mar 27, 21:57] 'Too late to leave': cyclone weakens but hazards remain (Perthnow.com.au)Cyclone Narelle is wrecking towns across three states and territories before placing Geraldton under an emergency warning as the category two system tracks south.
— [Mar 27, 13:21] Cyclone Narelle hammers WA towns as category 2 system tracks south, placing Geraldton under emergency warning (Thewest.com.au)Tropical Cyclone Narelle, which crossed Western Australia's coast at Coral Bay with winds reaching 250km/h and delivering over a year of rain in twelve hours, caused extensive damage to Exmouth including catastrophic destruction to its airport terminal. Residents remain cut off by road due to flooding while relying on emergency power for water as authorities work urgently to clear the damaged runway; no injuries were reported despite widespread property loss from uprooted trees and torn roofs.
Cyclone Narelle has been downgraded from a Category 4 tropical cyclone into a fast-moving low-pressure area after causing widespread damage and forcing evacuations across Western Australia. While the storm is weakening as it tracks south, authorities warn that significant inland weather impacts remain possible for several days ahead in regional areas like Gascoyne and Goldfields.
Residents in storm-ravaged Western Australia are warned not to let their guard down after ex-tropical Cyclone Narelle weakened from a category four system upon landfall near Coral Bay on Friday. Although the cyclone has been upgraded only slightly and is now moving inland, damaging wind gusts up to 130km/h persist in areas like Gascoyne while thousands remain without power following widespread destruction across Exmouth and other coastal towns.