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Arnhem Land communities evacuated as Cyclone Trevor moves in to the Gulf of Carpentaria

UPDATE: Tropical Cyclone Trevor is now a Category 3 system intensifying in the hours just before dawn on Friday. 

JUDITH AISTHORPE
3 min read
March 22, 2019 - 11:20AM
A cyclone track map for Cyclone Trevor issued by the BoM on Thursday. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology
A cyclone track map for Cyclone Trevor issued by the BoM on Thursday. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology

UPDATE: Tropical Cyclone Trevor is now a Category 3 system intensifying in the hours just before dawn on Friday.

EARLIER:  A Tropical  Cyclone Warning is in place for Groote Eylandt as  potential severe Tropical Cyclone Trevor bears down on the NT coast.

A state of emergency has been declared for parts of the Northern Territory as residents in the firing line of Tropical Cyclone Trevor are evacuated.

The Territory has begun the largest mass evacuation since Cyclone Tracy in 1974, with Cyclone Trevor expected to strengthen to a “severe” Category 4 or 5 system as it moves west across the Gulf.

The evacuation underway is also the largest before a cyclone in the Northern Territory’s history with Trevor due to make landfall on Saturday, possibly as a Category 5 storm

A cyclone warning is issued if a cyclone is affecting or is expected to affect coastal communities within 24 hours.

Waiting for evacuation from Groote Eylandt

The large storm system is located over the eastern Gulf of Carpentaria and is expected to rapidly intensify to a category 3 cyclone by Thursday evening.

Cyclone Trevor will intensify further as it adopts a more general west-southwest movement across the Gulf of Carpentaria later Thursday.

It is likely to cross the Northern Territory coast during Saturday as a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone.

Groote Eylandt has been partially evacuated, with the process being suspended due to the latest Bureau of Meteorology advice indicating that the cyclone will not directly impact the island.

Groote Eylandt is expected to feel some effects of the cyclone including destructive winds, heavy rainfall and abnormally high tides.

State of Emergency announced in NT as Cyclone Trevor approaches

Gales, with gusts to 120 km/h are expected to develop on Groote Eylandt from Friday morning and extend to the mainland coast between Cape Shield and the Northern Territory/Queensland border later on Friday and then inland into the eastern Carpentaria District on Friday evening.

Gales could also extend further north to Nhulunbuy on Friday if the cyclone takes a more northerly track.

Cyclone Trevor: Bureau of Meteorology weather update

The destructive core of severe Tropical Cyclone Trevor is forecast to cross the southwestern coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria between Groote Eylandt and the NT/QLD Border during Saturday with very damaging winds, with gusts to 275 km/h near the cyclone centre as it approaches and crosses the coast.

Waiting for evacuation from Groote Eylandt

Coastal residents between Groote Eylandt and the NT/Qld border are specifically warned of a very dangerous storm tide as the cyclone centre approaches the coast.

Tides will rise significantly above the normal high tide, with damaging waves and very dangerous flooding during Friday evening and Saturday.

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Borroloola, Ngukrr, Urapunga and Numbulwar residents will be bussed to Katherine.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said it was critical “that you take it seriously and it is critical that you listen to every update.”

Tropical Cyclone Trevor batters Lockhart River

Borroloola, Ngukrr, Urapunga residents are now being evacuated alongside residents from Numbulwar and Groote Eylandt who began evacuating on Wednesday.

Groote Eylandt residents will be taken to Darwin and housed in emergency shelters — Foskey Pavilion and Marrara Stadium.

“What is being undertaken right now is the largest evacuation prior to a cyclone we have seen in the Territory’s history,” he said.

“The severity of the storm the significant threat it poses as well as the complications that come with the remoteness of the area led to the decision to commence evacuations in the area (on Wednesday).

“It is being well planned carefully managed and calmly managed.”

Member for Arnhem Selena Uibo said the evacuation was “an operation of preservation of life”.

She said the entire community of Umbakumba, on Groote Eylandt would be evacuated — power will be shut off from the area today.

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“Umbakumba is being cleared out completely the last vehicle will go out today I understand,” she said.

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Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/borroloola-and-port-mcarthur-residents-to-be-evacuated-as-cyclone-trevor-moves-in-to-the-gulf-of-carpentaria/news-story/7ceb8c831271b99b19f94c767dfcfc62