Tropical Cyclone Fina has intensified into a Category 2 system as it moves southwest through the Van Diemen Gulf and may further strengthen to Category 3, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said, as it nears northern coastal communities, including the Tiwi Islands and Darwin.
This system is significant for Australia, as it could become the first Category 3 cyclone to form in Australian waters in November for 20 years.
Sustained winds near the centre are reaching 95 km/h with gusts up to 130 km/h. The system is moving at around 6 km/h and may strengthen further as it approaches the coast.
The BOM’s hazard preparedness and response manager Shenagh Gamble said residents of “northern coast communities, including the Tiwi Islands, are already starting to feel the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Fina.” She advised that “conditions will worsen during today (Friday, 21 November) and into tomorrow,” with gales of around 90 km/h expected in the Darwin area.
Local authorities have urged residents to take shelter and avoid driving in flood conditions. The Royal Darwin Hospital declared a code brown to free up capacity for potential emergency admissions, while Charles Darwin University and other services in the region have temporarily closed.
The federal government has also offered support. Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain said officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were “already deployed into the area” and working on contingency plans, including for emergency accommodation and power generation.
The Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation declared Tropical Fina a “Cyclone Event” on Wednesday, initiating the formal insurance claims period for affected regions.
