Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina has passed Darwin as a category three system, leaving a trail of destruction as it moves west into the Timor Sea. The storm, the strongest to hit Darwin since Cyclone Tracy in 1974, brought sustained winds of 150 km/h and gusts up to 205 km/h.
A section of roofing partially collapsed on the first floor of Royal Darwin Hospital overnight, with water entering the building. Initial reports suggested the theatre and intensive care unit were affected, but incident controller Emma Carter said the Department of Health confirmed they had not been impacted. NT Health Minister Steve Edgington said engineers were assessing the structural integrity of the damaged area.
Power outages affected parts of Darwin, Palmerston, rural areas, and the Tiwi Islands. Power and Water Corporation reported five unplanned outages as of Sunday morning, with crews pausing repairs overnight for safety. Videos showed the cyclone ripping apart a powerline, causing sparks.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned that destructive wind gusts up to 155 km/h could continue impacting coastal areas, with heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding. Conditions are expected to ease through Sunday, but Fina could intensify to a category four later in the day.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain said Australian Defence Force personnel were on stand-by to assist with clean-up, and financial support would be available through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
