Tropical Cyclone Narelle has weakened into a tropical low after making landfall on the Northern Territory’s east coast overnight. The system now tracks across Katherine toward Western Australia, following a destructive path through Far North Queensland as a category five storm on Friday and across the Gulf of Carpentaria as a category three early Sunday.
Major Flood Warnings Issued for Top End
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro urges residents to remain vigilant. “This marks our seventh high-risk weather event, so a reminder to all: the ground remains saturated, rivers are full, and even a couple of hundred millimeters of additional rain could trigger significant impacts and rapid consequences,” she stated.
The Bureau of Meteorology issues major flood warnings for Nitmiluk Centre tonight and Katherine Bridge starting Monday afternoon. At Katherine Bridge, the river is set to surpass the minor flood level of 16 meters Sunday night, the moderate level of 16.5 meters Monday morning, and the major level of 17.5 meters Monday afternoon. The town recently faced inundation from a prior tropical low that swelled the river.
Officials predict this wet season may rank as northern Australia’s 10th wettest on record. Downstream, Nauiyu in the Daly River area endures record-breaking major flooding, with all residents evacuated first to Darwin and now housed in Batchelor facilities south of the city.
Katherine Readies Emergency Field Hospital
Emergency supplies arrive in Katherine overnight, evacuation centers stand prepared, and thousands of sandbags reach homes and businesses ahead of the heavy rain. The National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre deploys a team to establish a field hospital in East Katherine.
Australian Medical Assistance Team crews from the center work through Saturday night to operationalize the facility before the tropical low intensifies impacts this afternoon. This marks the first domestic deployment of this scale in Australian history. With Katherine Hospital vulnerable to flooding, the field hospital provides emergency care, maternity services, radiology, resuscitation, and primary care during any extended flood.
Limited Damage Reported in East Arnhem Land
NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole reports no serious injuries. “The Northern Territory largely dodges significant damage, with effects confined to localized cleanup and recovery,” he said.
On Groote Eylandt, the island avoids major destruction as the category three system passes. Local broadcaster Percy Bishop delivers 24-hour updates via Groote Radio after internet outages. “The wind groaned, trees bent, and the sound built to a crescendo,” Bishop described, noting it was severe but less intense than anticipated.
The Alyungula-based Arirrki Aboriginal Corporation confirms via social media that radar and observations show Groote Eylandt skirted the storm’s core. “In simple terms, Groote got lucky,” the post states.
