Commander Bruce Porter, Region 2 Regional Controller, has announced that the Gove Hospital and Yirrkala Laynhapuy Homelands Centre emergency shelters are now open to those persons feeling they need to go to a shelter or feel they will be vulnerable in the severe weather expected from Tropical Cyclone Lam.

Due to the early hours at which the Gove community will start to experience gale force winds the public shelters at Gove Hospital and the Yirrkala Laynhapuy Homelands Centre opened at 8.30pm tonight.

Any person who thinks they should move to a shelter should do so as a priority.

A cyclone warning is currently in place from Maningrida to Cape Shield in the next 12–24 hours and from Goulburn Island to Maningrida and Cape Shield to Port Roper including Groote Eylandt in the next 24–48 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Lam is tracking west towards the east coast of Arnhem Land, the cyclone is currently at a Category 2 intensity and at this stage is expected to increase to a high end Category 3 or low end Category 4 cyclone by 19 February.

Current tracking indicates that the township of Nhulunbuy will experience gale force winds in the early hours of Wednesday 18 February, which will intensify over the next 24–48 hours.

Cyclone planning has identified a number of public shelters which include:

• Gove Hospital
• Yirrkala Laynhapuy Homelands Centre
• Gove House
• Gove House will open should the other shelters become full, at the time of this decision Gove House is able to accommodate 300 people and preparations are being made for a further 340 people.

All persons who attend shelters are strongly recommended to bring their cyclone emergency kit with food, water, medicines and other essential items and should also be aware of the following:

• They have a limited capacity and do not guarantee safety in all circumstances
• They do not allow animals
• They are mainly staffed by voluntary personnel with a police and medical presence
• They do not provide meals or special baby needs
• They might become welfare assembly centres after the cyclone
• They are used at your own risk - the Northern Territory Government accepts no liability for any loss, injury or death arising from the use by the public during a cyclone

Please visit Secure NT for up-to-date information www.securent.nt.gov.au