Far North Queensland is on high alert as Tropical Cyclone Narelle, the most significant storm to threaten the region in nearly a decade, barrels towards the coast. The cyclone, which intensified in the Coral Sea between Queensland’s eastern seaboard and Vanuatu, was officially upgraded to tropical cyclone status on Tuesday afternoon.
Cyclone Narelle’s Projected Path and Impact
As of Thursday afternoon, meteorological forecasts indicated that Tropical Cyclone Narelle was expected to make landfall early Friday morning. The anticipated crossing point is a remote stretch of coastline between Lockhart River and Cape Melville. Forecasters have warned that a severe impact in this sparsely populated area is “very likely.”
While the cyclone is projected to weaken as it moves inland across Queensland, it is expected to regain strength as it travels west over the Gulf of Carpentaria. This renewed intensity means it will pose a significant threat as it approaches the Northern Territory.
School Closures and Evacuation Warnings
In anticipation of the worsening conditions, nine state schools in the affected northern region have been temporarily closed. These educational institutions will remain shut until it is deemed safe for both staff and students to return. Premier David Crisafulli confirmed that the government is closely monitoring an additional ten schools situated within the cyclone’s warning zone.
The following schools have been closed until further notice:
- Bloomfield River State School
- Coen Campus of CYAAA
- Cooktown State School
- Hopevale Campus of CYAAA
- Lakeland State School
- Laura State School
- Lockhart State School
- Mungalla Silver Lining School
- Rossville State School
During a media briefing on Thursday afternoon, Premier Crisafulli stated that the opportunity for residents in the cyclone’s direct path to evacuate to safer locations had passed. He highlighted that access to all communities north of Laura had been severed and that these areas would remain “offline for an extended period of time.”
Flood Watch Issued for Numerous River Catchments
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a comprehensive flood watch, anticipating heavy rainfall across the Far North Queensland region from late Thursday onwards. This warning covers dozens of river catchments, underscoring the widespread risk of flooding associated with Tropical Cyclone Narelle.
The river systems included in the flood watch are:
- Jacky Jacky Creek
- Barron River
- Johnstone River
- Murray River
- Herbert River
- Staaten River
- Coleman and Edward Rivers
- Holroyd and Kendall Rivers
- Olive and Pascoe Rivers
- Archer and Coen Rivers
- Watson River
- Embley and Mission Rivers
- Wenlock River
- Ducie, Jackson and Skardon Rivers
- Jardine River
- Lockhart River
- Stewart River
- Normanby River
- Jeannie River
- Endeavour River
- Mossman River
- Mitchell River
- Daintree River (Including the Bloomfield River)
- Mulgrave and Russell Rivers
- Tully River
Residents in the path of the cyclone are urged to stay informed of the latest weather updates and to follow all official advice from emergency services. The severity of Cyclone Narelle necessitates a cautious and prepared approach from communities across the region.
