Three cyclones and a brewing storm, which is projected to become a cyclone in the next 48 hours, are causing major concern for government agencies as they churn towards land in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Carpentaria. The two most severe storms, Cyclones Trevor and Veronica, are on course to batter populations in northern and western Australia.
A state of emergency has been declared in Australia’s Northern Territory, expected to be smashed by category 4 Cyclone Trevor on Saturday night local time.
The “very destructive core” of Trevor is forecast to make landfall with 170mph (275km/h) winds between Groote Eylandt and the NT/Queensland border.
The territory’s largest mass evacuation since Cyclone Tracy in 1974 is underway, according to Australian media reports, with fears Trevor could even hit as a category 5 storm.
The Bureau of Meteorology, Northern Territory today issued a “severe thunderstorm” warning for damaging wind gusts for the southern Daly district and the west Arnhem district.
Trevor will also bring life-threatening storm surge, heavy rainfall and flooding, officials warn.
At the same time, “severe” Cyclone Veronica is churning towards Australia’s west coast with current wind speeds of 120mph (193km/h).
The category 4 storm is tracking towards the Pilbara coast and a warning zone is in effect from Pardoo to Mardie including Port Hedland, Karratha and Barrow Island.
Port Hedland sits about 350 miles south of Broome, a popular tourist destination with about 14,000 people.
Although Veronica is likely to make landfall as a category 3 storm, residents are being urged to prepare for major flooding, storm surge and 102mph (165km/h) winds.
Frightened residents spooked by Veronica’s rapid intensification in recent hours have left supermarket shelves empty as they stockpile supplies ahead of its arrival.
Where are the other storms?
Tropical Cyclone Savannah caused a threat to Mauritius after forming in the Indian Ocean.
Forecasters are still monitoring the cyclone although wind speeds have now dropped.
The weather system is not expected to pose a threat to land populations unless it re-intensifies.
But an unnamed deep band of low pressure has a high chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 to 48 hours, according to Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).
The weather system, currently named 93S, will “rapidly intensify” before “turning southeastward”, JTWC said in its latest update at 9am GMT today.
The warning continues: “The potential development of a significant tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours is high”.
The weather system sits approximately 512 miles northeast of Mauritius.