Cyclone Narelle aftermath: Carnarvon set to be cut off by flood waters, Premier says don’t cancel travel plans

Carnarvon could soon be completely cut-off as dangerous flooding caused by cyclone Narelle continues, but Roger Cook has urged Easter travellers not to cancel any holiday plans.

Gascoyne River levels at Nine Mile Bridge are hovering at about 6.1m, but are expected to rise to almost 6.5m by Monday afternoon.

River levels reached 8.1m at Fishy Pool, further upstream, late on Sunday afternoon.

Emergency services say flooding is possible, with people east of Boundary Road “highly likely” to be affected and possibly inundated by the floodwaters.

An evacuation site at Carnarvon PCYC is open for those fleeing the floodwater.

The Federal Government said on Monday it was opening its disaster relief funding to West Australians, as it had with Queensland and the Northern Territory.

As clean-up efforts begin, the Premier urged people not to cancel their holiday plans, as regional tourism operators need the support more than ever.

“Please, everyone, don’t cancel your holidays. Phone your tourism operator, your hotel, your accommodation provider. See how they’re feeling . . . if you have plans and they can go ahead, please take the opportunity to go and spend your tourism dollars in regional WA,” Mr Cook said.

“It’s an important time of the year for them. It’s time that we all support each other, and, importantly, support our local tourism operators.”

Several major roads remain closed and the extent of the damage won’t be known until the water recedes.

Learmonth Airport near Exmouth has been badly damaged.

Despite Mr Cook’s plea, the advice from emergency services is that people reconsider their travel plans.

The Premier will visit Exmouth on Monday afternoon to see the “trail of destruction” left by Narelle, alongside Emergency Services Minister Paula Papalia and Commissioner Darren Klemm. He will speak to locals at a town hall meeting.

“In the meantime, I want residents to know that we have your back. We will do everything we can to support you. We know it’s tough up there,” he said.

“Mercifully, we’ve had no reports of injury or death, but there is a trail of destruction and significant property damage, and we’ll do everything we can to make sure that you get back on your feet.”

He also urged road users to abide road closures following a rescue early on Sunday morning.

“If you’re advised by signage or by officials that you should not utilise a piece of road — do not,” he said.

“It can be dangerous to you. It can be dangerous to your family. It could be dangerous to emergency workers that may be called upon to assist you, so please just heed all the instructions.”

Exmouth residents can return to the area with caution, as a DFES Incident Management Team sets up to respond to community requests for assistance.

The Federal Government’s disaster relief funding will be available to residents in the shires of Exmouth, Carnarvon and Shark Bay, including emergency assistance for those in any immediate need who have to replace essential household items or make minor repairs.

“Residents will also have access to well-being services, and we stand ready to assist further, following additional impact assessments,” Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain said.

“The impacts of ex-tropical cyclone Narelle have been incredibly destructive across Australia’s north and west coasts, and we’ll continue to work closely with all State and Territory governments as we move through response to the recovery phase.”

Repairs are underway on damaged water infrastructure, as the Water Corporation advised residents in Exmouth and Onslow to avoid non‑essential water use, including reticulation, washing machines, hosing down pavements, and showers longer than four minutes.

A 22-strong Storm and Floodwater SES team from Queensland has been sent to the region to assist with repairs.

“Our priority today is assessing damage in impacted communities and supporting people severely affected by destructive winds and heavy rainfall,” DFES said.

To stay up to date with the latest flood warnings, visit EmergencyWA online.

For more information on recovery efforts, including where to get help, visit DFES’ cyclone Narelle recovery efforts page online.