Home / Disasters and Accidents / Cyclone Narelle Threatens NT Coast, Second Flood Hits Katherine
Cyclone Narelle Threatens NT Coast, Second Flood Hits Katherine
21 Mar
Summary
- Cyclone Narelle, downgraded to Category 2, is expected to hit eastern Northern Territory late Saturday.
- Katherine residents are preparing for a second round of major flooding after recent severe inundation.
- The defence force has evacuated nearly 150 people from Numbulwar community due to the cyclone.
Residents in the Northern Territory's remote eastern coastal areas are preparing for Cyclone Narelle, which has been downgraded to a Category 2 storm. The cyclone is expected to make landfall late Saturday, bringing potentially destructive winds gusting up to 195km/h and heavy rain that could cause flash flooding. Communities from Nhulunbuy to Port McArthur, including Borroloola and Numbulwar, are at risk.
In Katherine, the town's 10,000 residents are facing the prospect of a second major flood, just as cleanup efforts from devastating March floods were underway. Sandbagging has resumed, and many businesses have postponed repairs, with some hotels experiencing significant cancellations. Volunteers are reportedly growing exhausted from continuous recovery efforts.
Evacuations are already in progress along the Gulf of Carpentaria coast, with the defense force relocating almost 150 people from Numbulwar. Hundreds more are expected to be flown out as Narelle approaches. Around 500 people have sought shelter in a Darwin high school gymnasium.
