Cyclone Preparedness

Cyclone season extends from 1 November to 30 April. When a cyclone approaches, you should follow the Emergency WA App, listen to your local radio station or watch your television for information on it. 
 
The Shire of Exmouth produces a cyclone information booklet free of charge for its residents every year at the beginning of the cyclone season. Most residents will receive a booklet in their post office box. They can also be collected from the Shire's Administration Office, Depot and Library. The booklet contains information linked to this website on preparing for cyclones, cyclone alerts, cyclone emergency kits and important phone numbers.

Make a Plan 

Creating an emergency plan is the best way to stay safe. Talk about the plan at home, include children and practise together.

Make a plan with all members of your household and check everyone knows what to do.

Decide before the season where you will locate during a cyclone.

In Exmouth there are four common decisions made.

Leaving Town

Relocating to a safer home/ staying with friends or family

Shelter at home

Shelter at the Evacuation Centre (if open)

Determine the safety of your property 

  • Has your property been assessed after cyclone Narelle?
  • Has it been well maintained previously? (you can refer to the “Prepare your property’ section )
  • If the answer is no, you should consider leaving, relocating or evacuating.

If your property has not been assessed following Cyclone Narelle, has not been well maintained, or may not provide safe shelter, consider leaving town, relocating to a safer home or using an evacuation centre if one is open. 

Leaving Town 

If you plan to evacuate or leave town, make this decision early. 

Car/Road: Go before the roads flood or winds become hazardous. Be aware of expected road closures, check the Main Roads travel map. 

Air: Flights book out fast during a cyclone event and they can also close quickly or be cancelled. 

Bus: Services could be cancelled early due to inland road closures.

Shelter at home

  • Do you know the strongest room in the house?

Identify the strongest room in your home before cyclone season. It may be a small internal room, such as a bathroom or hallway, located away from windows. Choose a room with solid walls and as few windows as possible. Caravans, tents, cars and sheds are not safe places to shelter. 

  • Identify and allocate responsibilities for each step required to secure your property before an emergency.

Decide who in your household will do each job (shutters, kit, pets, documents) before a cyclone threatens.

Evacuation centre

  • Primary Centre located at Shire Hall Exmouth, 22 Maidstone Cresent
  • Stay informed on when it opens ( Emergency WA App, Shire of Exmouth Facebook)
  • Take your Emergency kit & Last Minute Essentials 
  • Ensure you take all medication and medical requirements with you   
  • Bring specific dietary requirements- Food provided is emergency rations
  • Pets can not go to the evacuation centre

Pets

  • Have a crate or carrier, plus at least two weeks' supply of food, water, bedding, and toys for your pets.
  • Ensure you can safely contain pets if fences are damaged after a cyclone.
  • If evacuating, leave pets in a secure area with food, water, bedding, and proper identification (pets are not permitted in evacuation centres).
  • Leave a note for emergency services with details of your pets, where they are located, and your contact information.

Follow further recommendations from the RSPCA here. 

Children

Involving children in your household’s physical preparations for a cyclone emergency can help them have a greater sense of control and assist them to manage their fears. During a threatening situation, it helps everyone to remain calm if they can be occupied in some useful activity. Select a suitable activity for each child that gives them a feeling of having something to do, and note it in the household plan.

  • Talk about the household cyclone plan with all the family, write it up and display it in a place where everyone can see it
  • Practise the plan with the family until everyone knows it 
  • Talk with children about their school cyclone plan as well

There are other amazing resources giving guidance on how to talk to and prepare children for an emergency event.

Preparing Children for Cyclones- Australian Psychological Society 

Disaster Preparedness with a Focus on Children- Emerging Minds

Supporting Your Neurodiverse Child Through a Cyclone- BillyLids Therapy 

 

Build A Kit 


    Secure Property 

    4 steps to secure a maintained property before the Season 

    • Learn how to turn off the mains
    • Purchase emergency equipment
    • Trim Trees –take the opportunity when the Shire does the greenwaste collection in November
    • Clear property of loose materials

    Property Maintenance 

     Unmaintained properties have been shown to increase the amount of damage to the town of Exmouth during a Cyclone.

    The best way to secure your property is to ensure it is well maintained.

    Check and Maintain

    Rust 

    Rot in Timber 

    Termites 

    Loose Fittings and Tress 

    Check and Upgrade 

    Flashings 

    Rooves 

    Doors & Windows 

    Other items attached to Buildings (porches, patios, verandahs etc)  

    For a full explanation and guide follow  HERE  

    Alerts & Warnings 

    DFES and the Bureau of Meteorology work together to inform the community when there is a cyclone risk.

    There are three warning levels which move up and down to reflect the risk to your life or property before, during and after a cyclone. These are the same warning levels as bushfires, flood and storm.

    Learning these three levels and how to respond to them could save your life. For the latest information visit Emergency WA.

    BoM Explains the weather. Emergency WA tells you the local risk and what to do. 

    Know when to take action 

    Warnings can skip levels. Always follow the current action statement. 

    MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS: During an emergency, authorised officers may restrict movement or close roads. Follow all directions. Failing to comply without a reasonable excuse is an offence and may result in a fine. 

    Stay Informed 
    Emergency WA is the official state government website and mobile app for real-time hazard alerts, active watch zones, cyclone track maps, and warning levels (Advice, Watch and Act, Emergency Warning). 

    Emergency WA App- How to Guide

    Download the Emergency WA app before a cyclone threatens. Set up the app, make a plan and set watch zones for home, work and family. Use the
    app or website directly to read the full warnings, including the location, impacts and required action.

    Do not rely only on social media.

    How to Guide 

    BOM 7 Day Tropical Cyclone Forecast  

    The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) provides weather forecasts, updates and warnings about expected weather conditions.

    What the page provides

    • A seven-day outlook for tropical cyclone activity around Australia.
    • An early indication of possible cyclone development.
    • A planning prompt to check supplies, plans and trusted information sources.
    • Use Emergency WA for local community warnings and required actions.


    Forecasts can change. Keep checking official information.

    7 Day Tropical Cyclone Forecast 

    Understanding Tropical Cyclone Forecast Track Maps

    The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has provided a useful resource on how to understand exactly what the track map is indicating. 

    It is great to understand the centre line with arrows shows "The cyclones most likely path"

    The Grey zone shows where "The cyclone could be in the next 72 hours"

    Accordion Item Header 3

    Accordion Item 3 Content

    Accordion Item Header 4

    Accordion Item 4 Content

     

    After a Cyclone
    Other Useful Resources 

    Narelle Damage Report and Learnings 

    Natural Hazards Research Australia have released a report that investigates damage to buildings caused by Tropical Cyclone Narelle. 

    Key Findings in the Report: 

    • Wind loads were around 35% to 50% of the ultimate design wind loads for buildings in the area of the field investigation.
    • Despite the relatively low wind speeds, some new buildings and some old buildings experienced damage.
    • Damage from rainwater ingress was more common than structural damage.
    • Water damage to buildings could be severe for even small holes through which the leakage is driven.
    • Water came through any type of structural damage including verandas and flashings, but also through flashings and
      windows where there was no structural damage.

    Read the Report 

    Property Maintenance 

    Is your property ready? WA Tropical Cyclone Preparedness Guide

    This guide provides information on preparing your house before the cyclone season begins.

     The guide focuses on the importance of regular checks for:

    • corrosion
    • rot
    • termites
    • necessity maintenance for all houses, regardless of their age.

    It also highlights the vulnerability of houses built before the mid-1980s.

    It includes a checklist of items you should check annually and another for preparing your house when a cyclone alert has been issued. The guide provides information on the characteristics of tropical cyclones. It also provides information on how houses can be damaged by wind, wind-driven rain and storm tide.

    View Guide Here

    Important Documents & Insurance Preparedness 

    Insurance- Before the Season

    You cannot buy a new insurance policy or increase your level of cover once a tropical cyclone has been named or an imminent severe weather event is declared.

    • Review your policy schedule and check that your sums insured are current
    • Read the flood, storm surge and cyclone definitions and understand what is and isn’t covered
    • Check whether your business interruption cover requires physical damage and what the indemnity period is
    • If you’re in a high-risk coastal zone, ask your broker specifically about storm surge exclusions
    • Confirm your claims notification process — have your policy number and broker contact details accessible offline
    • Photograph or video your property and contents as a record of their condition before the season begins

    Insurance- After the Cyclone 

    If you cannot remember the name of your insurance company or the details are not available, you can contact the Insurance Council of Australia on 1300 728 228

    • Speak to your insurer before you attempt or authorise any building work, including emergency repairs, and ask for the insurer’s permission in writing. Unauthorised work may not be covered by your policy
    • If your home is unsafe, notify your local authorities and check with your insurance company whether you can claim temporary housing expenses
    • As evidence to support your claim, take pictures of damage to property and possessions, and keep samples of materials from damaged goods. This will be used by your insurer to process your claim as quickly as possible
    • You can remove and discard any water or mud-damaged goods that pose a health risk, such as saturated carpets and soft furnishings, but take photos and keep samples of materials and fabrics to show the assessor
    • Keep any items that could be repaired and if in doubt speak to your insurer
    • Make a list of each item and include a detailed description, such as brand, model and serial number

    Important Documents 

    It is a good idea to digitise these records before Cyclone Season, keep originals in a waterproof document folder during a Cyclone. 

    • Insurance papers for your house and contents, cars and for valuable items
    • Inventory of valuable household goods
    • Photos of your property, cars, boat
    • Wills and life insurance documents
    • House deeds/mortgage documents
    • Birth and marriage certificates
    • Passports/visa details
    • Stocks and bonds
    • Medicare, pension cards, immunisation records
    • Bank account and credit card details
    • Prescriptions
    • A back—up copy of important computer files
    • Household Emergency Plan with emergency contact numbers

    Print Document List 

    Generators 

    Maintain & Prepare (Before season)

    • Draining the fuel tank and refilling the tank with fresh fuel
    • Inspecting the fuel line for cracks and replacing if necessary
    • Turning on the generator and testing to make sure it is working properly
    • Taking it for any required servicing or repairs.
    • Ensure your generator complies with AS2970. Check the packaging for the Australian Standard mark
    • Have an isolating switch installed to your house by a licensed electrical contractor if you want to connect your generator to your home

    Safety When Using 

    Do

    • Keep leads and power boards away from wet areas
    • Earth your generator using the manufacturer’s recommendations
    • Turn it off at night and when you’re away from home
    • Run your generator outside only
    • Position your generator away from open windows, including those of your neighbours
    • Use a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm with the generator. This will alert you if levels become dangerously high
    • Turn appliances on one by one to avoid overloading the generator

    Don’t

    • Attempt to connect your generator to the wiring of your house without an isolating switch
    • refuel a hot generator or one that is running
    • Try to connect many appliances at the same time
    • Overload your generator above its rated ‘wattage’.

     

    Stay informed 

    After A Cyclone 

    Wellbeing 

    Tropical Cyclone Narelle

    Cyclone Narelle Recovery Information

    Cyclones

    Tropical cyclones are a seasonally occurring natural hazard that causes considerable loss of life and material damage. In March 1999 Severe Tropical Cyclone Vance, the strongest cyclone ever to cross onto the Australian mainland, caused millions of dollars worth of damage to Exmouth and Onslow. Fortunately, there was no loss of life.
     
    In Australia, Cyclone Tracy caused the loss of 55 lives in Darwin on Christmas Day 1974. Five lives were lost when Cyclone Alby passed through the south-west of WA in April 1978, and the most recent loss of life (7) occurred at Onslow during Cyclone Bobby in 1995.  

    Definition and Occurrence

    A tropical cyclone is a circular rotating storm of tropical origin in which the mean wind speed exceeds 63 km/h (gale force). Gale force is the threshold speed at which a cyclone is named. Wind speeds in excess of 100km/h are common by the time a cyclone crosses the coast and higher wind speeds frequently occur. Tropical cyclones can occur at any time of the year, but they are very rare outside the cyclone "season" from the beginning of November to the end of April.
     
    Once they cross the coast, cyclones tend to decay within 24 to 48 hours and the strong central winds die away. Dangerous flooding can occur as heavy rain falls from the decaying system. 

    The Threat

    Cyclones threaten life and property in 3 ways:
    1. Fluctuating wind pressure can weaken and possibly cause the collapse of buildings and other structures.
    2. Loose objects, such as patio furniture, rubbish bins, dog kennels or building material, become lethal wind borne projectiles that can cause severe structural damage to homes and kill or injure people in their path.
    3. Flooding, due to an abnormal rise in the level of the ocean (storm surge) caused by the cyclone or as a result of heavy rainfall in river catchments.

    Precautions

    As cyclones often adopt an erratic course or suddenly change speed, it is important that you be aware of any changes at the earliest possible time. In order to do this, keep your radio tuned to the ABC or your local commercial station, WA/FAM, and listen for the most up-to-date cyclone information which is broadcast at regular intervals.