04 CYCLONE GUIDE 2015-16

Cyclones take toll on homes

THE 2014-15 tropical cyclone Lam caused significant season in the Northern Terri- damage to infrastructure and tory started late with no cyc- vegetation over a large area, lone activity around the including the destruction of in the first housing, loss of power, water half of the season, but then and communications, con- produced a significant tropical tamination of water supplies cyclone in both February and and blocked access roads. March. Nhulunbuy and the Gove Overall, tropical cyclone Peninsula escaped significant numbers were below average damage as Lam passed across across the Australian region, waters well to the north. however, two of the four cy- The cyclone produced clones that crossed the Austra- heavy rain over parts of Arn- lian coast affected the Arnhem hem and Carpentaria districts, district of the Northern Terri- including a 24-hour total of tory – category 4 Severe Trop- 258.5mm at Diljin Hill, which ical Cyclone Lam and category contributed to moderate flood- 2 Tropical Cyclone Nathan. ing of the Waterhouse River at Severe Tropical Cyclone Beswick Bridge. Lam was the first cyclone for Tropical Cyclone Nathan the 2014-15 cyclone season in formed in the in the northern region, and the early March and crossed the first severe cyclone to cross the Australian coast for the first Northern Territory coast for time north of Cooktown in nearly a decade, since Monica at category 4 in- in April 2006. tensity on Friday, March 20. Tropical Cyclone Lam was Nathan weakened as it named early on Tuesday, Feb- crossed ruary 17, over the northern but re-intensified over Gulf of , then in- Carpentaria waters, reaching tensified to category 3 as it category 2 intensity before moved steadily west, well crossing the Arnhem coast north of Nhulunbuy. south of Nhulunbuy on March Lam turned towards the 22. coast early on Thurs- Nathan passed over the day, February 19 and tracked Gove Peninsula, and main- west of Galiwinku on Elcho Is- tained intensity over the Ara- land before crossing the main- fura Sea before weakening and land coast near Ramingining crossing the coast for the final Satellite imagery of Tropical early on Friday, February 20 at time west of Maningrida on Cyclone Lam at Category 3 category 4 intensity, with peak March 24. along the eastern coastline of wind gusts estimated close to Although the destructive the Northern Territory about 260km/h. centre of Nathan passed close 3.30pm on February 19 this The very destructive core of to the same communities af- year; Ramingining school the cyclone affected three fected by Lam, it caused very principal Sue McAvoy, large Northern Territory com- little additional damage apart accompanied by Delia Lawrie, munities – Galiwinku, Miling- from heavy rainfall and minor inspects the damage to school imbi and Ramingining – as coastal flooding on the Gove buildings; trees lie fallen in the well as nearby outstations. Peninsula. small community

04 NT NEWS / SUNDAY TERRITORIAN, Friday, October 30, 2015 NTNE01Z01FC - V1