Cyclone season strikes again

A lightning strike near Jabiru on Saturday 14 March. Jabiru was one of five West Arnhem communities placed on a cyclone warning from Monday 23 March as Cyclone Nathan approached the coast. Maningrida, Minjilang, Warruwi, Gunbalanya and Jabiru were all within the predicted path of the storm. PHOTO: MARK CODDINGTON

CHIEF Minister Adam Giles says plans are underway to build a cyclone shelter at Warruwi in the wake of two evacuations since February. 

On Monday 23 March, 427 Warruwi residents were flown to Darwin on 51 separate flights as Cyclone Nathan headed towards the West Arnhem coast. This followed a similar evacuation on 19 February prior to Cyclone Lam.

On Monday 25 March, the day after Cyclone Nathan crossed the coast between Maningrida and Warruwi, Mr Giles told ABC News it was “quite evident” the island needed a cyclone shelter.
“We have to go through a range of planning process, identify a suitable location and the size and shelter required,” Mr Giles said. “We are already in discussions about what type of shelter and when we can get a shelter constructed into the future.”

West Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) Mayor Lothar Siebert welcomed the news.
“The West Arnhem Regional Council will bend over backwards to see this built with our help,” Mayor Siebert said.

WARC Deputy Mayor James Marrawal backed calls from Warruwi residents to build the shelter before the next wet.

“The NT Government needs to talk to people who live on Goulburn Island, because we are the ones who suffer when a cyclone hits,” Mr Marrawal said. “Our priority is to see a good cyclone shelter built so we don’t have to keep flying up and back.”

He said the work should be done using local labour and provide Indigenous training opportunities.

WARC Community Services Manager at Warruwi Kupa Teao said police called on residents shortly before 4am on Monday to assemble at the Recreation Hall for the emergency airlift.

“At approximately 5am the planes started arriving to evacuate everyone off the island,” Mr Teao said.

Residents were housed at the Darwin showgrounds, returning to their homelands on 20 flights on Wednesday.

Residents register with NT Emergency Services officers at Warruwi Airport at dawn on Monday 23 March before being airlifted to Darwin in the face of Tropical Cyclone Nathan. PHOTO: KUPA TEAO