Friday, 14 December 2018
Issued at: 1255hrs CST

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has cancelled the Tropical Cyclone Warning for the Northern Territory as the Severe Tropical Cyclone Owen moves further towards the Queensland border.

A marine wind warning is still in place for the Roper Groote Coast with very destructive winds expected as Severe TC Owen is forecast to intensify into a Category 4 system as it continues over water across the Gulf of Carpentaria.

“We’re closing the public shelters now that the warnings and cyclones have passed for our region, but as Severe TC Owen has shown, it can defy expectations.

“Our team are flying along the coast from Cape Shield down to the NT/QLD border to survey the damage, with a particular focus on where the cyclone straddled the coast near Bing Bong near Port McArthur.”

Some roads are still closed in the surrounding areas, with information being uploaded to Road Report section of the Secure NT website as it becomes available.

People are being warned not to drive in the area as debris and damage could make it hazardous for motorists.

The public shelters at Borroloola have been closed now that the warning for the area has been cancelled. Around 260 people accessed the centres since they were opened on Wednesday night.

The volunteers and emergency services personnel who helped run the shelters and evacuate people to the area have been praised for their efforts.

“There have been no deaths, no reported injuries and only one marine rescue that had to be carried out, which is an excellent outcome,” Regional Controller Wurst said.

“These people have been working tirelessly over the past several days to keep our community safe, and I know I’m not alone in thanking and congratulating them on the fantastic job they’ve done.

“We’re still reiterating those safety messages around taking a cautious approach in the region.

“We want to spend time focussing on the recovery phase, not recovering people who’ve gotten into trouble because they didn’t heed out advice.”

The Northern Territory Emergency Services Chief Officer Jason Collins said Severe TC Owen showed that locals are prepared for the upcoming Wet Season.

“It was great to see that so many people heeded our advice and took shelter with fully stocked emergency kits as the weather deteriorated.

“Places like Borroloola regularly see these types of events, but the unpredictability of these systems means they aren’t complacent and they know not to head out and about just before or after weather events like this,” he said.

“It’s also a timely reminder to other Territorians to make sure they’ve got their cyclone plans and kits up to date before they head off for the Christmas break.

“We’ve already seen some severe thunderstorm warnings in Darwin area in the past month or so and more could be on the way.

“This is the perfect opportunity to make sure palm fronds have been collected, loose objects are tied down and any other supplies you might need are in an easily accessible area in your home.”

Tips on what to include in an emergency kit can be found on the Northern Territory Emergency Service website: http://www.pfes.nt.gov.au/Emergency-Service/Public-safety-advice/Household-emergency-planning.aspx

Cyclone preparedness information is available at SecureNT: https://securent.nt.gov.au/prepare-for-an-emergency/cyclones

The BOM has current weather warnings and advice online: http://www.bom.gov.au/nt/warnings

Media Contact
Jessica Tapp

0476 835 348