Tropical Cyclone Fina has cut power to thousands of homes in Darwin, Australia, after sweeping past the city with destructive winds of up to 205km/h. The storm, which intensified to a category-three cyclone late on Saturday, caused widespread damage to power lines, homes and roads across the Northern Territory's Top End, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said approximately 19,000 customers lost electricity in Darwin, a city of 140,000 people. Emergency crews have urged residents to stay away from fallen power lines while damage assessments continue. Darwin International Airport, which closed as a precaution on Saturday, is working to resume operations as soon as it is safe.
Fina is the strongest cyclone to affect Darwin since Cyclone Tracy in 1974, which destroyed most of the city and killed 66 people. The storm later moved over the Timor Sea and is expected to remain severe as it tracks west towards Western Australia, with authorities issuing warnings for remote communities along the Kimberley coast.
Meanwhile, a separate violent thunderstorm struck the South Australian town of Port Pirie late on Saturday, bringing hail, gusts of up to 119km/h and extensive power failures. The State Emergency Service received 170 calls for assistance within half a day, with around 4,900 households cut off at the peak of outages. Premier Peter Malinauskas described the storm as sudden and unpredictable.
SA Power Networks reported about 50 power lines downed and more than a dozen poles damaged. Seventy-two repair crews are working to restore service, with most homes expected to be reconnected by Sunday night. Port Pirie resident Angela Lewis said her ceiling collapsed just after she stepped back, missing her by about a foot, and hail reached her husband's ankles.
