Cyclone strikes Australia causing a mega rain bomb: What you need to know
Tropical Cyclone Megan continues to pound northeastern Australia, with remote communities waking up to assess damage from the severe weather.
About 700 residents of the town of Borroloola were hit by the worst of the cyclone, which made landfall on the southwestern side of the Gulf of Carpentaria late on Monday as a Category 1 storm.
The community was due to be evacuated before the cyclone, but RAAF aircraft were unable to land due to the harsh conditions.
Accumulated rain forecast for the 72 hours ending at 9:30 PM ACST on Wednesday, March 20
Instead, residents were told to take shelter at the police station, in a health facility or in dozens of homes that could withstand a category three system.
Megan is expected to continue moving inland toward the southwest on Tuesday before weakening to a tropical low in the morning, when it will likely move westward.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicted the city could experience maximum winds of up to 130km/h and total rainfall of more than 200mm in 24 hours.
An evacuation of the McArthur River Mine was also canceled due to the conditions.
Defense Force personnel will remain on standby from Tuesday to assist with the recovery, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Sonia Kennon told reporters.
Residents of remote NT communities will wake up to assess the damage from Tropical Cyclone Megan
The dangerous conditions forced an evacuation in Borroloola to be canceled, forcing residents to drive out
Heavy rain and flash flooding are forecast for parts of the Carpentaria and northern Barkly on Tuesday morning.
Six-hour rainfall totals of between 80 and 150mm are likely, with a 24-hour rainfall total of up to 200mm and wind gusts in excess of 90km/h.
The cyclone warning zone extends hundreds of kilometers along the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Nearly 600mm of rain fell on Groote Eylandt this weekend as the severe weather system spread across remote island communities.
The GEMCO manganese mine quay was damaged by one of the ships carrying manganese and fuel.
NT Police said there was no leakage and authorities were working to remove the ship from the dock.