Residents on a remote Australian territory more than 1,000 kilometres from the mainland are bunkering indoors ahead of Tropical Cyclone Grant.
The system is expected to strengthen to a category two cyclone overnight as it nears the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, bringing destructive wind gusts of up to 140km/h.
As rainfall and strong winds began to lash the islands on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, residents were forced to change their festive plans.
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Manager of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands resource centre Rose Cummins said a community lunch organised on the main beach had been cancelled.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are a more than a thousand kilometres from WA’s coast. (ABC News: Sharon Gordon and Chris Lewis)
She said the weather at this time of year was always unpredictable.
“You always hope for the best and plan for the worst, and I guess we’ll see what happens,” she said.
“We won’t have Christmas this year like everyone else.
Christmas decorations remain stedfast in the community resource centre. (Supplied: Rose Cummins)
“It’s just the uncertainty of cyclones — you never know quite what they’re going to do.”
Islanders brace for the evening
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Tourism Association chair Dieter Gerhard said most of the cyclone preparation had already been done.
Residents on Cocos (Keeling) Islands say they are prepared for the cyclone. (Supplied: Niamh Swingler)
“Yesterday was really the preparation day — most of the island has been preparing for this blow for some time,” Mr Gerhard said.
“Our challenge will be just how much wind it does bring to us tonight.
“There’ll be a time tonight where it’s perhaps not wise to be moving around and [police and emergency services] will be discouraging that.”
The cyclone track map shows the cyclone’s path will pass north of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. (Supplied: Bureau of Meterology )
Mr Gerhard said residents had the option of going to a cyclone shelter or sheltering in their homes, and urged caution for those wanting to celebrate on Christmas Day.
“At this stage, my plans would probably be to stay put and ride it out,” he said.
“If you move somewhere to continue a Christmas celebration, it’ll be frowned upon … but visiting your neighbours and, you know, a bit of Christmas cheer, that is certainly available today.”
Residents say they are trying to stay positive and ‘get on with it’, despite the scary circumstances. (Supplied: Niamh Swingler)
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands comprise 27 islands, of which only two – West Island and Home Island – are inhabited.
It has a population of about 600 people and is about midway between Australia and Sri Lanka.
Large waves, flooding expected
Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) duty forecaster Helen Reid said the system would intensify as it moved westward towards the islands on Wednesday evening.
What you need in your cyclone emergency kit
“Gales, damaging wind gusts could start late this evening and into early tomorrow morning and we can also expect to see the heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding,” she said.
“The other thing to note is large waves and the minor flooding through the coastal areas and strong currents through the lagoon.”
Cocos (Keeling) Islands on emergency services on West Island have been door knocking and letting residents know where they can shelter. (Supplied: Niamh Swingler)
Memories of another Christmas cyclone
Senior Imam on the islands, Haji Adam, remembers when Cyclone Tracy devastated the islands 51 years ago, which also impacted the community during Christmas time.
Wind and rain from Tropical Cyclone Grant has started to affect the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. (Supplied: Niamh Swingler)
He said during that time, there was less “control” in emergency situations and no cyclone shelters.
Cyclone Tracy: A force of nature
“It’s very scary with the cyclone because the eye of the cyclone [Tracy] at the time was really on the top of the islands.”
Sandbagging has been underway on Home Island, where Mr Adam said the main concern was flooding.
Cocos Island’s Imam Haji Adam. (ABC News: Alice Angeloni)
“We are really lucky at the moment. The oceans surrounding the islands are really low tide,” he said.
“There’s a number of island areas that are expecting to be full of flood, full of water.”
Cocos (Keeling) Island residents are bracing for Tropical Cyclone Grant to hit late Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. (Supplied: Niamh Swingler)
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