A man has died in floodwaters in Australia’s far north as residents on the other side of the country prepare for a major cyclone as it made landfall.
Police were called to the man’s submerged vehicle in the northern Queensland town of Normanton about 3pm on Tuesday.
The man, aged in his 70s, was found dead inside his car.
In Australia’s north-west, Tropical Cyclone Hayley made landfall on Tuesday night with residents in Beagle Bay, Cockatoo Island and Derby warned it was too late to leave.
The Bureau of Meteorology said at 11.40pm local time on Tuesday night that Hayley had been downgraded from a category three to category two storm and had weakened as it moved inland 55km north of Derby.
It had sustained winds near the centre of 100 km/h with wind gusts to 140 km/h.
“Gales with damaging wind gusts to 100 km/h are occurring over areas from north of Derby through to Cockatoo Island, and may extend further north towards Kuri Bay early on Wednesday morning,” the BoM said. “Gales should then ease during Wednesday morning as Hayley moves further inland and weakens.”
The storm follows Tropical Cyclone Fina, another category three system that hit Darwin in late November.
Residents living in caravans or older homes have been urged to move to their nearest evacuation centre or another safer location.
Damaging winds of up to 170 km/h are possible in the northern Dampier Peninsula.
A heavy rainfall warning has been issued, with the potential for flash flooding across parts of the region.
On Tuesday evening, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning of hurricane force winds for the West Kimberley coast, and a strong wind warning for the Gascoyne coast, Geraldton coast, Lancelin coast, Bunbury Geographe coast and Leeuwin coast.
It was only three years ago that rain dumped by ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie led to catastrophic floods that left people in Derby and nearby communities isolated for weeks.
There is only one road in and out of Derby but the town – along with Broome and Kununurra – is one of the largest servicing the remote region
Tameka Plummer, who runs the local bakery and manages the bottle shop at the IGA supermarket, said she hoped the town didn’t get cut off. The only other option for bringing in goods was by barge to the port. “That’s a very expensive mission, if they have to do that.”
She said staff were well prepared with essentials like water, torches and power banks, and trucks had already taken away excess stock and pallets.
Peter McCumstie, the president of Derby/West Kimberley shire, said although Hayley was “packing a punch” it wasn’t the first time cyclones had come close to Derby, with preparations beginning well in advance for the cyclone season – namely tree trimming, drainage and culvert clearing.
“People, as being advised, will ensure they have additional water supply, vehicles fuelled up – power can and usually is lost for a time – and dry foods and essential items ready to use,” he said.
“Flooding during and after will occur and, as TC Ellie taught us in 2023, this can be devastating.”
Hayley, located on about 185km north-west of Broome, was heading east and expected to reach the coast near Cape Leveque on Tuesday evening.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Jonathan How said favourable conditions, including warm seas, had allowed the cyclone to “ramp up quite quickly overnight”. On Tuesday morning (11:43 local time), winds near the centre had reached 140km/h with gusts up to 195km/h.
As the cyclone approached the coast, damaging gales were expected, How said. “Tonight, ahead of landfall, we are expecting destructive winds above 150km/h.” Very destructive winds to 170km/h were possible in some areas.
Winds were likely to bring down trees and power lines, and heavy rainfall could cause some outback roads to be closed due to flash flooding.
How said the warning area extended north of Broome to Kuri Bay, and included Derby, Beagle Bay and the entire Dampier Peninsula.
Derby, which is at the bottom of the King Sound, is famous for its massive tides, which reach up to 12 metres and are some of the largest in Australia. Tuesday’s high tide about 6pm could bring big tides and large waves, How said.
Assistant commissioner Stuart Wade from WA’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services said people in the emergency warning area must shelter indoors now. “Stay in the strongest, safest part of the building. It is too late to leave.”
An evacuation centre was open at the Broome Recreation and Aquatic Centre.
Anthony Albanese said Australia’s thoughts were with the community.
Australia’s tropical cyclone season runs from November to April and in an average year two or three systems reach category-four severity. In future cyclones may be fewer but stronger, due to climate change, according to Australia’s national climate risk assessment.
In November Tropical Cyclone Fina became the earliest cyclone to cross the Northern Territory coastline and equalled the earliest to make landfall in Australia.
On the other side of the country, in northern Queensland, communities were dealing with flooding from days of heavy rain – widespread totals of 200mm a day – due to a slow-moving monsoon trough.
The highest falls were at South Mission Beach, a town about a three-hour drive north of Townsville, which recorded 796mm in 72 hours, according to How.
The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, said the full impact wasn’t yet known but the government had pre-positioned fuel and emergency services in key locations and was ready to assist.
Over in WA, Plummer said so long as there wasn’t flooding, some rain would be welcome. “We’re praying for rain,” she said. “We haven’t had much rain at all this wet season.”
