Residents of Australia’s Northern Territory are cleaning up and restoring services after Tropical Cyclone Fina swept through the region on Saturday night, bringing damaging winds, heavy rain, and power outages. The cyclone, which strengthened to a Category 3 storm, caused property damage but, remarkably, resulted in no injuries.

Cyclone Path and Impact

Cyclone Fina lingered off the Northern Territory coast for several days before intensifying and making its way between the busy city of Darwin and the Tiwi Islands, located about 80 km (50 miles) offshore. Gusts reached 110 km/h (70 mph), toppling trees, traffic lights, and causing widespread debris.

The Bureau of Meteorology described the storm’s center as a “very destructive core,” which has since moved offshore. However, forecaster Angus Hines warned that heavy winds and rainfall would persist through Sunday.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro reported that approximately 19,000 homes and businesses lost power in the past 24 hours. Authorities are working to restore electricity while residents continue clearing streets and removing fallen trees and power lines.

“In true territory spirit, neighbours are coming out with chainsaws and everyone’s chipping in,” Finocchiaro said.
“This cyclone saw a territory that was united and prepared for what was to come, and as a result, we’ve seen largely minimal impact and no injuries.”

Local Damage

Footage from Darwin showed roof panels torn off, heavy rain pouring into homes, and trees scattered across roads and backyards. A section of the Royal Darwin Hospital roof collapsed, leaving debris in a corridor, and the Darwin airport temporarily shut down before reopening on Sunday.

Fina is now moving towards Western Australia and could intensify into a Category 4 storm, though meteorologists predict it is unlikely to make landfall and will gradually weaken over the coming days.

Climate Context

Researchers continue to highlight that climate change increases the frequency and severity of natural disasters in Australia, including cyclones, bushfires, and floods. For Darwin residents, the storm invoked memories of Cyclone Tracy in 1974, which killed 66 people and devastated the city on Christmas Day.

Despite the damage, officials and residents praised the community response, which helped minimize the overall impact of Cyclone Fina.