Overview
- Narelle crossed the coast near Coral Bay on Friday as a category 3 system after skirting Exmouth, driving destructive winds, storm surge and intense rain down the Gascoyne coast.
- Exmouth recorded some of the worst damage with roofs torn from buildings, flooding and boats sunk, and evacuees were moved to a church after the local centre’s roof was damaged.
- The Bureau of Meteorology has downgraded Narelle to a tropical low tracking southeast, with emergency warnings still in place for parts of the Gascoyne and Mid West and heavy rain forecast for inland areas.
- Power outages continue to affect residents, with officials reporting about 2,000 homes without electricity in Exmouth and Carnarvon late Friday, and crews preparing to clear debris and restore services when conditions allow.
- Major gas operations paused during the storm, including Chevron’s Wheatstone plant and part of Gorgon, and growers around Carnarvon fear significant crop losses as the long-running system—rare for striking Queensland, the NT and WA—pushes south.