Residents across Western Australia’s West Kimberley have been urged to brace for days of dangerous weather as Tropical Cyclone Luana strengthens offshore and moves steadily toward the coast, threatening destructive winds, torrential rain and potentially dangerous storm tides.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) confirmed that the system intensified to a category one tropical cyclone just after 2am on Saturday. Forecasters expect Luana to strengthen further to category two strength before making landfall over the Dampier Peninsula, about 2,200 kilometres north of Perth, around mid-afternoon.
After crossing the coast, Luana is forecast to track south-east across the West Kimberley, passing close to Derby late on Saturday night before weakening as it moves inland. Despite the expected weakening, authorities warn the system is likely to bring widespread impacts across the region.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) issued a “shelter now” emergency warning for residents on the Dampier Peninsula, advising it was too late to evacuate. Residents were instructed to remain indoors, move to the safest part of their homes, and stay away from doors and windows as conditions deteriorate.
BoM duty forecaster Catherine Schelfhout said Luana was expected to deliver multiple hazards as it crossed the coast and moved inland.
“We’re expecting very destructive wind gusts, very heavy rainfall, and the potential for flooding through the West Kimberley and western parts of the Sandy Desert,” she said. “There’s also a risk of a dangerous storm tide, including in Derby.”
Ms Schelfhout said the cyclone season had already been unusually active, with Luana marking another significant system early in the season.
“It’s been a really active start. We’ve already reached our average number of cyclones, and we still have a couple of months to go,” she said.
Emergency services have bolstered their presence across the region ahead of landfall. DFES Kimberley Superintendent Leon Gardiner said additional resources were being deployed to support local crews already on the ground.
“We’ve got a number of SES volunteers arriving later this afternoon from Perth, in addition to our existing emergency service volunteers from across Broome and Derby,” Mr Gardiner said. “They’ve been working very hard behind the scenes to ensure the community is as prepared as possible.”
BoM forecaster Patch Clapp warned residents not to underestimate the system or assume it would behave like previous cyclones.
“The thing to note with cyclones is that they’re always different individuals,” he said. “So even if they affect similar areas, you can still see very different impacts.”
Mr Clapp said while Tropical Cyclone Hayley, which struck the region less than a month ago, delivered concentrated destructive winds near the northern tip of the Dampier Peninsula, Luana was expected to produce broader impacts.
“We’re expecting a wider spread in wave effects,” he said. “Not quite the same peak wind intensity, but still significant winds and very dangerous conditions.”
Heavy rain had already begun falling across parts of the peninsula, with the remote community of Ardyaloon recording 73 millimetres overnight as the system continued to approach.
For many communities along the Dampier Peninsula, Luana represents their second cyclone in less than a month, arriving while clean-up efforts from Cyclone Hayley are still ongoing.
In Djarindjin, resident Bernadette Angus was among about 50 locals who evacuated to Broome on Friday afternoon, fearing further damage.
“The young ones can hack it, but it’s dangerous here,” she said. “We hope for the best, that nothing serious happens.”
Ms Angus said memories of Cyclone Hayley were still fresh.
“We thought we’d lose our house. It was really shocking,” she said. “We were lucky no-one got hurt.”
Djarindjin community chief executive Nathan McIvor said the timing of Luana posed significant challenges.
“It’s a bit of a spin-out, really — two cyclones in less than a month,” he said. “We’re still trying to get debris out of houses, and around the community there are a lot of trees down.”
Further north, Ardyaloon mother Patrina Starr said she decided to evacuate to Broome with her children ahead of landfall.
“I gotta take my two little ones — it’s scary for the cyclone to come,” she said.
While Derby escaped major damage during Cyclone Hayley, the town is now on high alert as Luana approaches. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that higher-than-usual tides could lead to flooding in low-lying areas.
Sandbags have been distributed across the Shire of Derby/West Kimberley, and an evacuation centre at the Derby Civic Centre is scheduled to open at 8am on Saturday.
Long-time Derby resident and former shire president Elsia Archer said preparation and vigilance were critical.
“So be prepared and do what you have to do, and listen to the authorities,” she said.
Several key transport routes have already been closed due to worsening conditions. Cape Leveque Road, the main access route up the Dampier Peninsula from Broome, remains closed from McGuigan Road. The Gibb River Road is shut between Kimbolton Road and the Pentecost River, while the Great Northern Highway between Roebuck and Willare is expected to close to all vehicles by Saturday evening.
Authorities are urging residents to monitor official warnings closely as Tropical Cyclone Luana continues its approach.
