Cyclone Esther has now made landfall between Mornington Island and the NT/Queensland border as a category 1 tropical cyclone.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A warning zone is in place for Port Roper to Karumba, including Borroloola and Mornington Island and adjacent inland areas between Cape Crawford and Century Mine, including Doomadgee.
The cyclone is sustaining winds near the centre of 75 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 100 kilometres per hour.
It is estimated to be 105 kilometres west of Mornington Is and 215 kilometres east southeast of Borroloola moving west southwest at 16 kilometres per hour.
Mornington Shire Council said the top end of town including the Art Centre and Council office have lost power and will not be back on until weather permits Ergon to fly a repair crew to the island.
The cyclone is expected to move westwards into the Northern Territory later today, while weakening.
Gales with gusts to 110 kilometres per hour are occurring about the coast and adjacent inland areas between the NT/Qld border and Karumba, including Burketown, Doomadgee and Mornington Island.
Gales may extend further west to coastal communities between Port Roper and the NT/Queensland border and to adjacent inland areas including Century Mine, Robinson River, Borroloola and Cape Crawford later today, depending on the movement and intensity of tropical cyclone Esther.
As the cyclone crosses the coast, a storm tide is expected between the NT/Qld border and Karumba and this could persist onto the high tide tonight. Large waves may produce minor flooding along the foreshore. People living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding should take measures to protect their property as much as possible and be prepared to help their neighbours. Tides are also expected to be higher than normal about the southwest Gulf of Carpentaria coast, including Groote Eylandt. Large waves may produce minor flooding of low-lying coastal areas.
Heavy rain with the potential to cause flash flooding is expected in areas around the Gulf of Carpentaria today, and will then move west following the weakening cyclone over the coming days. Flood Watches are current for Gulf of Carpentaria catchments.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
