Australia Weather News

Two homes have lost their roofs and there has been significant damage to infrastructure in northern Western Australia in the aftermath of ex-Tropical Cyclone Hayley.

The category three system crossed the coast along the Dampier Peninsula, north of Broome, late on Tuesday afternoon.

It has since been downgraded to a tropical low, but only after bringing damaging winds and heavy rainfall to the West Kimberley.

Emergency services personnel travelled north from Broome on Wednesday to assess the impact, with Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) acting Kimberley superintendent Todd Pender confirming two homes had lost roofs.

Cape Leveque Road, linking the Dampier Peninsula to Broome, remains closed to the public.

'Absolutely terrifying' experience

Djarindjin was left in the dark after powerlines were downed, while the community's basketball court sustained significant damage.

Djarindjin Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Nathan McIvor said it was "absolutely terrifying" as the cyclone made landfall.

"Sitting in a house that was moving with the wind, it was pretty full on," he said.

"The whole community got sandblasted."

Mr McIvor said there had been significant infrastructure damage.

"Our new basketball court has been completely torn up, the store has copped a fair bit of debris against it," he said.

"Some of the houses have held up, but there's a lot of water inundation that's come through the roof and down through the walls.

"Overall, I think Djarindjin fared quite well."

Mr McIvor said about 250 people had remained in the community, while about 100 people evacuated on Tuesday.

He said only nine people remained in Lombadina.

Mr McIvor said it was the first time the community had been in the direct path of a cyclone.

"Djarindjin is used to being hit by cyclone weather, but certainly not something like this," he said.

He said he expected the recovery to take a week or two.

Djarindjin resident Sherena Bin Hitam said sitting through the cyclone was a frightening experience.

"It was quite daunting with the wind unexpectedly hitting — the community haven't had a cyclone for many years," she said.

Residents bunker down

On his way to assess the damage to the community at One Arm Point, resident Kevin George was greeted by a tree that had fallen on his car.

"It's not really big but it's enough to be a concern when you bought the car not too long ago," he said.

Mr George said families stayed put during the cyclone.

"I wouldn't say anybody evacuated [to Broome]; I'd say everyone is still here," he said.

Pearl farm faces anxious wait

Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm managing director James Brown said none of the farm's staff were injured, but there had been some damage to infrastructure.

"Even the structures immediately outside the shelter they [the staff] were in have sustained roof damage," he said.

He said the roads needed clearing before boats could be taken out to assess the full extent of the damage.

Mr Brown said there were some benefits to the system crossing earlier than expected.

"It meant the people out there could actually see what was going on around them as the wind really picked up and peaked, as opposed to just hearing it in the dark — [that] would've been a lot more daunting," he said.

"It's going to be a big few weeks ahead of everyone on the Peninsula cleaning up."