Cyclone Narelle: System downgraded to category 3 as it impacts WA coastline near Exmouth

Roofs have been blown off and trees are being torn from the ground as cyclone Narelle makes landfall on the WA coastline near Exmouth and makes an angry bee line for Coral Bay.

There are reports of flooding and sheets being blown from the roof of the Exmouth evacuation centre where about 40 people are sheltering.

Shelter now alerts are in place for residents in communities across the Pilbara, as wild conditions batter the region, putting lives and homes in serious danger.

“It truly doesn’t get much worse than this,” weather Facebook page CyclonesOz said.

The evacuation centre is still operational despite roof damage which caused water to get in, with residents and staff still safe and power being provided by a generator.

Images have emerged of the Exmouth canals showing water levels as high as half way up the first level of homes, with front jettys and yards entirely under water.

Narelle has destroyed the Learmonth Radar, making it unavailable to the Bureau of Meteorology.

“Bureau technicians will attend site for damage assessment as soon as it is safe to do so,” a spokesperson said.

“The Bureau’s weather forecasts and weather warning service has been designed so that it is resilient and not dependent on any one piece of equipment.”

Severe impacts including gusts of up to 260km/h are occurring over coastal parts between North West Cape and Onslow and are expected to extend south down the coast to Coral Bay and Cape Cuvier throughout Friday morning.

Exmouth local Leith Holtzman recalled the horror of Narelle early Friday.

“It was like it’s trying to tear into your house — it sounds like a dinosaur outside,” he told The West.

“From 4am to 6am it was horrific.

“I had the cyclone shutters down, couldn’t fit under the bed but had about half my body under the bed.

“I haven’t slept, I experienced Cyclone Owen but this is another level.”

The bureau at about 8.30am Friday said the cyclone would remain a category 4 for several hours to come.

“It is within the vicinity of Exmouth, is moving to the south and is passing close to the North West Cape. Severe impacts are expected from the western Pilbara coast to the northern Gascoyne coast this morning, and then extending south to Carnarvon and Denham during today.”

Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm told media Friday 25 calls for assistance had been made from the across the Pilbara, including 12 in Exmouth and 11 in the Midwest and Gasgoyne in the previous 24 hours.

No reports of injuries had been made, he said.

“But the town is still being impacted and is likely to stay at emergency warning until the middle of this afternoon. There is currently no power in the town of Exmouth.

“As we get a clearer picture of the extent of the damage, defense, we’ll continue to work with the local governments and communities in the region to determine what sort of support they need for the ongoing impacts.”

Karratha’s Mayor raised concern about the DFES warning system after the town was struck by Narelle.

“We escaped the fury of it really, it just skirted past us. But I think one of the things I do want to raise is the community’s concern around the new warning system ... it seems to me, that there’s no systematic approach to making a decision for each warning level,” Mayor Daniel Scott said.

Recent cyclone, Mitchell, had a red alert but wasn’t as close to town, while Narelle was on a watch an act alert with sustained winds of 110km/h.

“Which meant people could freely go out and about, businesses were open ... we probably should have been on red alert, because at that stage you know and no one knows if a cyclone is going to turn further south or not.

“Dampier went on red alert. Dampier is only 20 kilometres away from Karratha.”

Narelle is expected to hit Coral Bay by about mid day Friday before heading inland to the Central West.

As it moves south past Carnarvon its will likely downgrade to a category 3 and downgrade again to category 2 as it passes Kalbarri.

When it moves inland past Dongara it is expected to become a category 1 and eventually drop below a tropical cyclone strength and depart off the south coast of the country by Saturday about 7pm.

Highest rainfall totals were recorded overnight with 197mm falling at Barrow Island, and gusts of up to 200km/h have been recorded in Learmonth, the second-highest ever recorded.

Speaking with 6PR Friday morning, BoM’s Christie Johnson said Narelle would likely weaken slightly once it makes land.

“But because it’s coming across as such a strong system, it will remain as a tropical cyclone for quite a while,” Ms Johnson said.

“So it’s likely to be about a category three as it comes past Carnarvon, probably down to a category two by the time it’s passing Geraldton, overnight tonight, or through the early hours of tomorrow morning,” she said.

“And then it will tend to weaken as it goes further south, as it comes inside of, I guess some of the more down into the central west.

“It’ll drop to a category one, and then eventually a tropical low as it comes down through the South West land division and eventually exits off the southern coast.”

Winds of 125km/h are occurring along the west Pilbara coast between Onslow and Coral Bay, including Exmouth.

Gusts in excess of 125km/h are expected to extend south to Carnarvon and then to Denham Friday morning and afternoon, and may extend to Kalbarri and inland parts later today and possibly as far south as Morawa on Saturday morning.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has issued a “shelter indoors now” warning for Barrow Island and Montebello Islands.

“There is a threat to lives and homes. You are in danger and need to act immediately,” a statement Friday morning read.

Warnings for heavy rainfall, flash flooding and dangerous storm tides are also active for the Pilbara, Gascoyne and Central West regions.

Evacuation centres have opened at Exmouth Shire Hall, Shark Bay Recreation Centre and Canarvon PCYC.

DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm said he was “not certain” where Narelle would make landfall.

“The cyclone is travelling in a south-westerly direction but once it moves near the North West Cape and curves southwards, even a slight change in track opens up different possibilities of where it could reach landfall,” he told media on Thursday.

“It could be Exmouth, Carnarvon, Denham or even further south.

“With so much uncertainty, it’s critical that people stay up to date with the latest information and take the necessary steps to prepare for severe weather.”

Perth will experience the passing of the cyclone Saturday, bringing damaging wind and heavy rain between 50mm and 100mm, which could lead to flash flooding.

The South West land division will likely be issued a severe weather warning Saturday as the system moves through.

Emergency WA issued the following advice for West Australians residing in the affected areas:

• Shelter indoors now.
• Stay in the strongest, safest part of the building.
• Stay away from doors and windows, and keep them closed.
• Keep your emergency kit with you.