Residents of Australia's northwest are ready to ride out the second major cyclone of the summer, while disaster relief has already been activated in another state after widespread flooding.
Tropical Cyclone Hayley has been upgraded to a category four system and is moving toward Western Australia’s Dampier Peninsula, with wind gusts up to 230 km/h.
It follows on the heels of Tropical Cyclone Fina, a category three system which impacted Darwin in late November.
Hayley is forecast to cross the coast on Tuesday night, with residents in Beagle Bay, Cockatoo Island and Derby warned it is too late to leave.
"We can expect to see those gale force winds picking up through Tuesday morning and then intensifying to destructive wind gusts from Tuesday afternoon and possibly very destructive wind gusts," Jonathan How from the Bureau of Meteorology said.
"We are expecting this system to gradually weaken as it approaches the coast, but still remain a severe category three system."
Residents living in caravans or older homes have been urged to move to their nearest evacuation centre or another safer location.
Damaging winds of up to 170 km/h are possible in the northern Dampier Peninsula. A heavy rainfall warning has been issued, with the potential for flash flooding across parts of the region.
Residents should prepare their emergency kits with enough canned food and water to last a week, along with a first aid kit, medication, cash and a battery-operated radio to listen for warnings.
An evacuation centre was open at the Broome Recreation and Aquatic Centre for those in the warning area, the department advised.
Residents who chose to stay at home should secure loose outdoor items, move vehicles under cover, fasten cyclone shutters and ensure pets are safe.
Meanwhile, disaster relief has been activated for five north Queensland councils following widespread flooding caused by monsoonal rainfall over the Christmas period.
Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Flinders, McKinlay and Richmond shire councils have all been approved for financial assistance by the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements scheme.
The extra funding will support local councils’ response, clean-up and recovery, including emergency roadworks and repairs to public assets.
The disaster relief comes as heavy rainfall, life-threatening flash flooding and widespread riverine flooding continues across far north Queensland, with 37 roads cut.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli urged those affected and anyone travelling to use the government's disaster dashboard page for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
"Google Maps doesn't know where the local impacts are, they're headquartered a long, long way away," he said.
Mr Crisafulli said the Bruce Highway had reopened after being briefly cut by the Seymour River between Ingham and Tully but would likely be closed again if heavy rainfall persisted, given the tidal nature of the river.
The bureau has warned that heavy rainfall, potentially life-threatening flash flooding and widespread riverine flooding is continuing across much of far north Queensland.
