Relief payments available for West Australians with destroyed, damaged homes in cyclone-devastated north

Cash is now available to West Australians whose homes were hit by tropical cyclone Narelle, Premier Roger Cook says, ahead of a visit to the ravaged Gascoyne region.

As a category 4 system in WA’s north, winds above 250km/h tore roofs from homes and cut power, flooding properties and roads.

Exmouth was hardest hit, while food plantations in Carnarvon have been pummelled.

There’s now watch and act warnings in place for the Gascoyne River and Lyndon-Minilya Rivers catchments, where the Lyndon River Bridge is completely submerged.

With a massive clean-up still to come, the Premier announced relief payments of up to $4000 for people whose homes were destroyed to pay for emergency accommodation, food and clothing.

A one-off payment of $2000 per household is also available to eligible applicants whose homes have suffered major damage.

At least four structures in Exmouth have been completely destroyed. Seven been severely damaged, 12 have been moderately damaged and eight have minor damage.

“But these numbers are expected to increase today as more assessments are completed,” Emergency Services Minister Paul Papalia said.

Mr Cook said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had also assured him that the Commonwealth was also “ready to do whatever it can to help Western Australians in their time of need”.

“While the worst is behind us, the situation remains fluid as emergency services personnel continue to assess the damage,” the Premier said on Sunday.

“As of late yesterday, power and water supply has been gradually restored to homes and businesses in Exmouth.

“Let’s be clear, though, this was a severe and very powerful cyclone.”

Commercial flights in and out of Learmonth Airport remain cancelled due to damaged infrastructure, but the runway was still operating for emergency services, Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said.

“I was advised yesterday that the damage to the terminal was something that was going to take about a week to resolve ... but they’ll need to get in there and do a full assessment,” Mr Klemm said.

It was too early to estimate the total clean-up bill, which would take “weeks”, he said.

“There’s 2000 homes and plus all the other structures that are in Exmouth - there’s a fair bit of work to do to go through those places, structure by structure,” Mr Klemm said.

Mr Papalia said about 30 pastoral properties had been extensively damaged, and support would arrive in coming days.

Crops in and around Carnarvon had been thrashed, and Bullara Station between Exmouth and Coral Bay had been hard hit by flood water and a storm surge.

While an evacuation plan had been developed for the homestead owners and 15 other people on site, “currently they’re happy to stay where they are”, Mr Klemm said.

The Premier said he would travel to the Gascoyne on Monday to assess the damage and meet with local community members who had suffered losses.

“My message to them will be clear, my government is committed to helping you fully rebuild and recover following this incident,” he said.

The cyclone could not have come at a worse time for tourism opertors in the State’s north, with the damage causing would-be travellers to cancel their Easter long weekend plans and countless more to reconsider them.

Mr Cook acknowledged visitors could get in the way of recovery efforts but did not encourage cancellations.

“Please, please be cautious,” he said.

“A number of roads along the Great Northern Highway and Northwest Coastal highway and Indian Ocean Drive remain closed due to water inundation.

“There is a vast amount of water in the region. Make sure you don’t put you and your your family in any danger.

“Importantly, contact your tourism operator to see what the situation on the ground is.

“We don’t want people to avoid enjoying themselves over the Easter period. We don’t want them to not go and spend their valuable dollars in those regional towns.”

Mr Klemm said it was going to take a long time for waters to recede, warning drivers that turning around would be difficult, with road shoulders sodden.