Cyclone Narelle Wreaks Havoc in Far North Queensland

0:00On March 21st, here's the latest out of Adelaide. Tropical cyclone Narell slammed into far North Queensland's Cape York Peninsula on Friday morning as a severe category 4 system. It tracked between Lockhart River and Cohen before heading west, weakening to category 2 south of Weepa. Overnight in the Gulf, it ramped up again, hitting the Northern Territory as category 3 early Sunday. Residents in remote spots like Lockhart River and Aruchoon are now dealing with widespread debris and fallen trees that knocked out power lines. Nearly 300 homes across Cape York remain without electricity and mobile services are spotty with four Telstra sites still offline. Crews worked through Saturday to restore connections, but communications blackouts left folks unable to check in with family. Local leaders are pushing hard for government-funded cyclone shelters since the area only has basic places of refuge. In Aruchoon, damage was mostly to power infrastructure and one barbecue area, but cleanup is slow due to remoteness.

1:03Business owners report lost roofing and downed trees, calling it tougher than expected, but something they live with of North. Telstra teams are pushing around the clock to get services back, while power crews cleared major blockages that took a full day. Weather is settling Sunday with lighter rain expected, 10 to 20 millimeters on the west coast, and up to 30 in spots, but swollen rivers keep. A flood watch active along with high tide alerts, as the cyclone drops to category 1 by 10 a.m., Sunday, and weekends into a tropical low heading toward Catherine in the Northern Territory, communities. Are teaming up for assessments and repairs, bracing for any wet season holdups?