Cyclone Trevor smashed Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland, Australia, after making landfall as a Category 3 storm on Tuesday. Local residents in the aboriginal community of Lockhart River were placed on lockdown as the large storm uprooted trees and caused torrential downpours. Cyclone Trevor is expected to rapidly re-intensify as it moves over the Gulf of Carpentaria towards the Northern Territory after dropping to Category 1 level.
Worried officials are now planning mass evacuations ahead of the storm arriving as a “severe” category 4 cyclone with up to 173mph (279 km/h) wind gusts.
In the latest Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) update at 6am GMT (4pm AEST), the weather agency warned: “Tropical cyclone Trevor will intensify further as it adopts a more general west-southwest movement across the Gulf of Carpentaria.
“It is likely to cross the Northern Territory (NT)coast during Saturday as a category 4 severe tropical cyclone.”
Where are the mass evacuations planned?
The evacuations are planned from Groote Eylandt, the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, to communities right the gulf’s edge.
Groot Eylandt has a population of 1,539 people, according to the most recent estimates.
Todd Smith, BOM’s NT manager, warned residents Cyclone Trevor was “a very serious event” and to evacuate immediately.
He added: “That the cyclone is about to move back into the Gulf of Carpentaria, we have some time for people to act — and the time is now,”
Travis Wurst, the regional controller for NT, said the coastal community of Numbulwar was also being evacuated, as reported by Australian media.
He said: “We are asking everyone from that entire watch zone, from Groote Eylandt down — not from Nhulunbuy — to anticipate potential evacuation, to prepare documents, medication, a small bag just personal belongings, for that potential eventuality, so that if it has to occur it can occur quickly.”
“Numbulwar has already commenced evacuations there, because that location may be impacted by strong winds and storm surges and the road in and out will be cut off by rain quickly.”
Mr Wurst said people were being evacuated by road and by air in nearby farm areas too as it was too dangerous to stay.
He said: “Our information tells us that this severe cyclone will be extremely dangerous and too dangerous for people to shelter in place.”
How bad are category 4 tropical cyclones?
Category 4 “severe” tropical cyclones have “very destructive winds” with gusts up to 173mph (279 km/h).
BOM says category 4 cyclones, the second strongest level possible, typically causes “significant roofing and structural damage”.
The other dangers include “many caravans destroyed and blown away. Dangerous airborne debris. Widespread power failures”.