Exmouth, 1250 kilometres north of Perth, felt the full force of Narelle's fury overnight, with the category four storm generating winds in excess of 250 kilometres per hour. The remote tourist town now stands isolated, cut off by both land and air, as authorities scramble to assess the full extent of damage across the community.
Roofs were torn off buildings, windows were smashed, power was lost and homes were flooded. About 40 people were reportedly inside an evacuation centre in Exmouth when the roof sheets were ripped off. It was too dangerous to evacuate anyone from the hall, so the terrified evacuees had to weather the storm inside the damaged building.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services said it was not known when the water supply could be reconnected in Exmouth, with Water Corporation hoping it will be a quick fix but remaining uncertain until crews could inspect the damage. The loss of water supply compounds difficulties for a town already struggling with the aftermath of destructive winds and flooding.
Local reports describe trees and fences toppled near homes, with reports of boats sunk in the marina and a significant storm surge impacting the town. Some residents report people have lost their houses and roofs. A service station was also destroyed with windows smashed and bowsers torn apart.
The cyclone's journey across northern Australia has been remarkably rare. Tropical Cyclone Narelle traced a long path across the northern edge of Australia, bringing damaging winds and rain to areas already saturated with abundant precipitation, with the system making separate landfalls in three different states and territories between March 20 and 23. It is the first time a cyclone has hit the three jurisdictions since Ingrid made three crossings in 2005.
The system is now twice the size it was when it reached far north Queensland a week ago, with damaging winds extending 200 to 260 kilometres from the centre and destructive storm-force winds extending 110 to 210 kilometres. The cyclone's larger core poses a significant threat to settlements in its path from both severe winds and intense rainfall.
Exmouth is no stranger to cyclone impacts. The town of about 3000 people was devastated when the category five Tropical Cyclone Vance slammed into it on March 22, 1999. Residents who lived through that event are among those most apprehensive about Narelle's strike, though the scale of this system's size posed its own distinct challenges.
As the system moves south, communities as far as the Kimberley and the broader WA coast remain under emergency warnings. Authorities have established evacuation centres in surrounding towns and urged residents to remain sheltered indoors as the system's destructive winds continue across the region. Recovery efforts in Exmouth are expected to take weeks, with the restoration of essential services identified as the immediate priority.