Seroja

History

Severe Tropical Cyclone Seroja originated as Tropical Low 22U off the southern coast of Timor island around 3 April 2021, before being named Seroja by TCWC Jakarta on 4 April while positioned approximately 95 kilometres north-northwest of Rote Island. The system's development was complicated by interaction with nearby Tropical Cyclone Odette; the two systems engaged in a Fujiwhara effect that caused Seroja to weaken and follow an altered track before it eventually absorbed Odette into its circulation on 10 April. This absorption allowed Seroja to strengthen significantly, reaching Category 3 severe tropical cyclone intensity.

On the evening of 11 April 2021, Seroja made landfall on the Western Australian coast near Kalbarri in the Mid West region, the first cyclone to strike that area since Cyclone Elaine in 1999. Wind gusts reached approximately 150 kilometres per hour at landfall, with a minimum central pressure of 971 hPa. The system moved rapidly southeast and underwent extratropical transition on 12 April before being absorbed into a larger extratropical system.

Prior to reaching Australia, Seroja caused catastrophic damage across Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province and Timor-Leste through severe flooding and landslides. At least 272 people were killed — 183 in Indonesia, 42 in Timor-Leste, and one in Australia — with over 100 people still missing. More than 20,000 structures were damaged or destroyed in Indonesia, and total damages exceeded USD $490 million.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia