Around 500 people sheltering in Darwin school gym as Tropical Cyclone Narelle barrels towards NT coast | Tropical Cyclone Narelle

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued a tropical cyclone warning for Nhulunbuy and Borroloola as Cyclone Narelle, downgraded from category 4 to 2, is expected to strengthen before hitting the Northern Territory late Saturday. Defence Force personnel have evacuated almost 150 people from the community of Numbulwar on the Gulf of Carpentaria coast, with hundreds more to be flown out as the cyclone approaches. The Australian government disaster recovery payment has been activated for areas including Chinchilla in Western Downs, Bundaberg central, east, north and south, Daly River and Lansdowne in Roper Gulf. Kirsty McBain, federal emergency management minister, said additional assessments will be made for impacted areas as soon as possible.