Australia Weather News

Hundreds of people have been evacuated from the remote Northern Territory community of Numbulwar as others in the eastern Top End prepare to "shelter in place" ahead of the expected arrival of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle this weekend.

The cyclone, which crossed the Far North Queensland coast this morning as a category four system, is expected to hit the Northern Territory's east coast from tomorrow.

A cyclone watch has been issued for Nhulunbuy to Port McArthur, including the NT communities of Borroloola, Numbulwar, Alyangula, Ngukurr, Gapuwiyak and Bulman.

Residents are being urged to ensure they have their cyclone kits ready, and emergency plans in place.

Category three impact expected, as emergency services bolstered

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is forecasting the cyclone will impact Groote Eylandt and other eastern Top End communities as a category three system from late tomorrow and into Sunday.

The BOM's Shenagh Gamble said the system would bring "an increasing risk of damaging winds, storm tide and heavy rainfall, which could lead to flash flooding and renewed river rises in previously impacted communities".

Live five-day Cyclone Narelle forecast map

People on Groote Eylandt are being warned to expect its impact from as early as tomorrow afternoon.

"It will then move steadily west across the Top End, bringing heavy rainfall of around 150 to 200 millimetres," Ms Gamble said.

"That rain will cause local creeks and rivers to rise again, including those rivers that have already been impacted by recent floodwaters."

Among the communities expected to be impacted by the system are Katherine and nearby Beswick, which are still recovering from major flooding in the past few weeks.

Yesterday, Northern Territory Incident Controller Travis Wurst said additional police officers had been sent to Borroloola and Groote Eylandt, as well as Numbulwar, "to assist with either evacuations or preparations required around how those communities are going to maintain resilience across this particular weather event".

"At this stage, Borroloola and all the communities on Groote Eylandt will shelter in place," he said.

Numbulwar evacuees arrive in Darwin

Throughout yesterday, emergency services, with the assistance of the Australian Defence Force, were working to evacuate 500 Numbulwar residents to Darwin by air, with all residents expected to be in the capital by the end of the day.

The operation makes Numbulwar the third remote NT community to be evacuated to Darwin this month due to extreme weather.

The Numbulwar evacuees will initially be staying at Nightcliff High School, where a temporary evacuation centre will be set up.

The school's gym is a recognised cyclone shelter, and was used to shelter residents when Cyclone Fina impacted Darwin last year. 

"The move of Numbulwar residents to Nightcliff High School will be temporary," Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said. 

NT Education Department chief executive Susan Bowden said the evacuation set-up would be safe for students, staff and evacuees, as a temporary fence was being built around the building, and that the school would remain open.

Meanwhile, hundreds of residents of Daly River/ Naiuyu and Palumpa, who were evacuated to Darwin earlier this month due to prolonged major flooding in their communities, are set to be moved from their current accommodation at the Darwin Showgrounds' Foskey Pavilion and Marrara Indoor Stadium.

Floodwaters are still at roof height in Daly River/ Naiuyu and authorities have warned it could be weeks before residents can return. 

Mrs Finocchiaro said from Friday, Daly River/ Naiuyu and Palumpa residents would start to be moved to student accommodation at a tertiary institute in the town of Batchelor, about 100 kilometres from Darwin.

"These facilities will provide the privacy and support, be a lot more comfortable and allow us to provide the security and support evacuees need," she said.

"As we move people from Foskey Pavilion out to Bachelor Institute, we will then be able to, if we need to, move people from Numbulwar out to Foskey Pavilion."

Acting Deputy Commissioner Wurst said police had "increased their community safety posture" around evacuation centres in the city, including deploying a forward commander responsible for responses to all evacuation centres, and additional CCTV cameras.