Cyclone Narelle live updates: Monster storm slams WA as coastal towns face widespread damage

Cyclone Narelle’s impact on WA’s gas industry is widening, with Woodside Energy confirming its mainstay Karratha gas plant on the North West Shelf has been forced offline.

Woodside said on Friday that Narelle, which passed by Karratha late on Thursday, had also disrupted gas production at the State’s foundation LNG project.

“Woodside’s Karratha gas plant, the onshore processing facility for the North West Shelf project, has had a production interruption due to the cyclone,” Woodside said in an updated email.

Read the full story ​here​.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reiterated that the Federal Government is on standby to help with Cyclone Narelle.

“My Government of course stands ready to assist state and territory governments, but also local government at this time,” he said.

Mr Albanese said the effects are lingering across northern Australia, particularly the Northern Territory, which is also still dealing with damage from the recent floods.

“Please, the message is, look after each other, follow advice that’s given by agencies and follow local warnings as well,” he said.

The National Emergency Management Agency is working with the State Government to determine what might be required from the Federal Government.

“We have embedded liaison officers in Western Australia to provide support in relation to severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle,” NEMA said.

Ningaloo Caravan Park general manager Rachel Wells evacuated staff and visitors from the caravan park but is sheltering at her home with her family.

She said she looked out of her window this morning to see neighbours’ roofs off.

“Exmouth is destroyed,” she said.

“I’m looking out the window and there are trees down and roofs are off.

“From 3am there has been leaking through the wood in our house and the windows.

“We are exhausted and shattered. We still have the tail end to go, which Karratha is saying is the worst of it.”

Ms Wells said even the evacuation centre roof had lifted off.

“The evacuation centre roof came off and it’s a mess,” she said.

“People are sheltering on the stage part in there.

“It’s built for cyclones and it’s come off.

“We’ve been through cyclone warnings before but this is next level.”

She said she expected to be sheltering inside all day as the weather was still strong.

RSPCA WA has pleaded with pet owners in WA to be proactive in protecting their animals as the cyclone continues its path of destruction.

Spokeswoman Louise Rowe said while many people prepare their homes and families for cyclones, animals are often overlooked until it is too late.

“Severe weather events can be terrifying and dangerous for animals. Planning ahead can make the difference between keeping your pet safe or facing a heartbreaking situation,” Ms Rowe said.

“RSPCA WA is reminding the community that evacuation centres generally do not accept pets, making it critical to plan ahead for their care.

“Do not assume you’ll be able to take your pet with you if you need to leave. You need a plan now for where they will go and how you will keep them safe.”

DFES has urged individuals needing assistance during the cyclone to not post on Facebook.

People needing help have been told to contact the SES on 132 500 for assistance.

A man in Exmouth as cyclone Narelle slams the town has revealed what experiencing the storm has been like.

Leith Holtzman is in Exmouth looking after a friend’s dog as the category 4 tropical storm unleashes on WA’s north.

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

“From 4am to 6am it was horrific.

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“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 of Meteorology have confirmed the destructive winds from the cyclone have severely damaged the Learmonth weather radar.

The radar covers the Exmouth area, which has been hit hard from the tropical system.

“The Bureau is aware that radar images from the Learmonth radar are currently unavailable,” a spokesperson for the weather organisation told PerthNow.

“Initial assessments indicate the radar has been damaged by severe tropical cyclone Narelle and is inoperable.

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

Pictures circulating on social media are showing the impacts of the severe weather in the State’s north.

See the entire gallery of photos ​here​

Cyclone Narelle has already made its mark on Exmouth, with residents saying the impacts of the tropical system are reminding them of the widespread devastation from cyclone Vance.

Cyclone Vance was a category 5 cyclone that tore through the town in 1999, causing an estimated $35 million in severe structural damage.

Local business owner Matt Gates told 6PR on Friday morning that the situation with Narelle on Friday has been “pretty scary”.

“The whole backyard is over ankle-deep in water,” he told hosts Millsy and Karl.

“There’s people that have lost their roofs, trees down, we’ve had a shed blown to bits.

“It’s pretty bad, it’s reminding me of Vance”.

In the latest News Worthy episode, Ben O’Shea spoke to Professor Stephen Turton and asked if the cyclone is likely to reach Perth.

“It could get to Perth but it won’t be as a tropical cyclone,” Professor Turton said.

“But that doesn’t mean they’re not in for some pretty wild weather . . . they’re talking up to about 100mm falling (in Perth) and some of that could be in short bursts which could lead to flash flooding.”

Listen to the full episode here.