Typhoon fina continues to threaten North Australia
According to the latest storm information from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), fina reached Category 3, recorded gusts of up to 205 km/h, moving away from Darwin on the morning of November 23 (local time) after crossing the city on the evening of November 22 as a strong typhoon.
Currently, fina is a strong Category 4 storm offshore, maintaining winds of 230 km/h.
BoM confirmed that fina has increased to level 4 overseas, with winds near the center of the storm: 165 km/h; gusts of 230 km/h. The storm is moving at a speed of about 8km/h southwest.
The storm continues to move southwest and is forecast to weaken rapidly from November 24, when it heads west-northwest near the northeastern sea of Kimberley.
Storm fina continues to strengthen
While Darwin is clearing up after the storm, the BoM warned that fina could increase to Category 4 as it moves offshore in Northern Territory.
Images in Darwin show uprooted trees, collapsed traffic lights, localized flash floods and many blocked roads.
The storm swept between Darwin and the Tiwi archipelago, where wind gusts of about 110 km/h were recorded. Although the center of the storm has left, heavy rain and strong winds are expected to continue throughout November 23.
About 19,000 households lost power, many roads were flooded and property damage was reported, but no casualties were recorded.
Local authorities have urged residents and tourists to stay away from the broken power lines, while technical forces have begun checking the damage.
Darwin International Airport has been closed since November 22 and is resuming operations to ensure safety.
The storm evokes painful memories of Thu Thu Thuc in 1974, a disaster that largely erased Darwin and killed 66 people.
Warning of the impact of fina spreading to Western Australia
The Western Australian Emergency Department (DFES) issued a warning and forecast for fina for the Northern Territory - Western Australia border area and the Northern Kimberley region.
The center of the typhoon is currently off the Northwest coast, moving southwest across the Timor Sea and Joseph Bonaparte Bay, the BoM said. fina will remain a severe tropical cyclone on November 23, before weakening from November 24 as it approaches the Kimberley coast.
Areas most likely to be affected by fina include Kalumburu - Kununurra - Wyndham, along with remote communities around Kimberley. Although it is forecasted that major cities will not be affected by storm surge, the BoM stressed that weather conditions could change very quickly.
Residents and tourists in the Tiwi Islands, which stretches from Cape Hotham to Warruwi, could see large waves, water rising above normal tides, and minor flooding in low coastal areas.
Visitors should stay in touch with accommodation establishments or tour guides to receive the latest notification. If you are in the affected area, stay in a safe shelter until there is final confirmation of the storm from local authorities.
