Cyclone Seroja: Cyclone devastation like a ‘bomb blast’

A fierce tropical cyclone brought wind gusts of up to 170km/h to tourist towns in WA, with tens of thousands still without power.

Homes have been decimated by the cyclone. Picture: 7 News

People caught up in a fierce tropical cyclone that brought wind gusts of up to 170km/h to tourist towns in Western Australia say it looks like a bomb has gone off after roofs were ripped off many homes.

Tropical Cyclone Seroja made landfall on Sunday evening, just south of Kalbarri, as a category 3 storm.

Many locals took to social media to reveal their makeshift shelters as the terrifying eye of the storm approached.

One person said they were hiding in a walk-in wardrobe, while a couple and their dog took refuge in a pantry.

Some homes were completely decimated, while wild weather also tore part of the roof off the popular dolphin-watching resort Monkey Mia, and a section of the One Mile Jetty in Carnavon was destroyed.

Northampton Shire president Craig Simkin told NCA NewsWire that he estimated up to 75 per cent of homes in Kalbarri had some structural damage.

“I’ve had a bit of a drive around,” he said on Monday.

“It’s wreaked a bit of havoc. There’s debris everywhere.”

Deputy president Shane Krakouer, who is also an electrician, said it was the first time he had experienced such devastation.

“It was one-and-a-half hours (of severe storms) … some houses are totally destroyed,” he told NCA NewsWire.

Mr Krakouer said it looked like a bomb had gone off in the town.

“Everywhere you stop and look all you see is destruction – roofs rolled up on the street,” he said.

“The whole town needs rebuilding around here … it’s going to take a long time.”

Mr Krakouer said cafes had been flooded, and even the local police station was “not looking too good”.

Premier Mark McGowan said it had been decades since Western Australia had seen such a destructive cyclone.

“While it will take time to fully assess the damage, it is already clear that the impact has been very significant – particularly in Kalbarri and Northampton,” he posted on social media.

About 31,500 customers are without power, including in Geraldton, Kalbarri, Northampton, Dongara, Port Denison and Mullewa.

A red alert remains in place for the towns of Kalbarri and Northampton in the Midwest Gascoyne.

“There is still a threat to lives and homes,” the Department of Fire and Emergency Services warned.

“DFES is conducting assessments on the ground to identify hazards to ensure the safety of the community.”

The all clear has been given to other areas, but DFES warns people should remain cautious.

Those areas are south of Carnarvon to Lancelin.

Historic jetty ripped apart

WA’s historic One Mile Jetty was ripped apart by the cyclone, with one witness saying “she just went under” around midday and that the jetty was “getting hammered”.

While the system has been downgraded to a category two storm, powerful winds and intense rainfall continue to wreak havoc across the region as it moves inland between Dalwallinu and Mukinbudin.

Ooops! Mostly the porch roof is just peeled back over the main roof. I wondered why the cyclone was thudding! #Kalbarri#TCSerojapic.twitter.com/4ljz89nCnJ

— 𝙱𝚛𝚎𝚗 𝙼𝚊𝚌𝙳𝚒𝚋𝚋𝚕𝚎🐝🐾🦈 (@MacDibble) April 11, 2021

The historic Carnarvon One Mile Jetty has been torn apart by Tropical Cyclone Seroja. Very sad for the town pic.twitter.com/yuwLY5DHHv

— Angus Mackintosh (@iamangusmack) April 11, 2021

Red alerts were issued to residents stretching from Carnarvon to Lancelin, including the shires of Shark Bay, Northampton, Chapman Valley, Morawa, City of Greater Geraldton, Mingenew, Three Springs, Perenjori, Irwin and the townsites Coorow and Carnamah.

Just hit Geraldton. Fortunately at this stage the winds are off shore.#CycloneSerojapic.twitter.com/hORcolLyxB

— Anthony McCarthy (@motogpnz) April 11, 2021

#CycloneSeroja is tracking swiftly across the Wheat Belt. Recent wind gusts include 131 km/h at Morawa, 113 km/h at Goodlands, 111 km/h at Kalannie and 107 km/h at Dalwallinu. For Geraldton, it was the first category 2 cyclone impact since 1956. Radar: https://t.co/ZaJPIpiRfdpic.twitter.com/ZUVyRiX7js

— Bureau of Meteorology, Western Australia (@BOM_WA) April 11, 2021

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan said the state should expect major damage, describing the winds “like nothing we have seen before in decades”.

“Stay inside and shelter in the strongest, safest part of your house or evacuation centre. Keep your emergency kit with you,” Mr McGowan urged.

“Stay away from doors and windows and keep them closed. Stay indoors until the all clear is given by authorities.”

Anyone in the red alert area has been urged to stay inside, activate their emergency alert plan and stay tuned in to updates.

“Now we need that assistance from the community. Stay inside tonight. Don’t even think about coming out until tomorrow,” WA Police commissioner Chris Dawson said.

Incredible 2-min satellite imagery from our friends @JMA_kishou shows #CycloneSeroja strengthening off #WA into a Severe Category 3 system.

Note the eye has started to form, and plenty of bubbly cloud around it indicating violent storms. Latest info: https://t.co/JgO20pbP9Apic.twitter.com/XzwWy4CfhB

— Bureau of Meteorology, Western Australia (@BOM_WA) April 11, 2021

Today the cyclone is expected to weaken as it moves further inland but the BOM has warned that wind gusts will remain dangerous, especially to the north and east of the track, as it moves through the eastern Wheat Belt, southern Goldfields and South East Coastal district.

While the true extent of the damage remains unclear, no deaths or injuries have been reported.

The state’s Country Health Service said Geraldton Hospital will continue to treat emergency patients during the cyclone, but all other appointments will be cancelled.