TROPICAL Cyclone Alfred has been downgraded to a low after crossing the Gulf of Carpentaria about 12.30 this morning.
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Alfred was a category 1 cyclone, with winds of up to 95kmh, when it crossed the coast between Borroloola and the Northern Territory/Queensland border.
The Bureau of Meteorology says it has since weakened into a tropical low.
Warnings for heavy rains that could lead to flooding over the next 24 hours and damaging winds remain in place for the eastern Carpentaria district.
"The system is expected to move inland today and produce heavy rainfall over the far eastern Carpentaria district before heading west over the Carpentaria district later today and on Wednesday," the BOM said.
The bureau expects the tropical low to now head west, passing south of Katherine later this week.
About 74 people from the Garawa community, living on the edge of Borroloola, were moved to higher ground during the height of the cyclone.
“The community I can say does have enough supplies for up to five days," NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services executive director Jennifer Reilly said.
A nearby airstrip is still open and can deliver more food depending on weather conditions.
Ms Reilly said emergency workers moved the evacuees in flood boats as a precautionary measure on Sunday.
The town of around 1000 people has been completely cut off and Ms Reilly urged drivers not to take risks on flooded roads, which will be closed for the next few days.
Borroloola has received about 361mm of rain since Saturday, including a record dump of 183mm on Sunday morning of 183mm.
The new McArthur Bridge, opened in late 2010 at a cost of $7 million is completely submerged by flood water.
Roper Gulf Regional Council mayor Tony Jack on Monday photographed the current height of the McArthur River in Borroloola.
He estimated the road/bridge to be about 3.2m below the surface of the water.
The former cyclone is still tyravelling slowly, about six kmh, and is expected to move inland today and produce heavy rainfall over the far eastern Carpentaria district before heading west over the Carpentaria district later today and on Wednesday.
Abnormally high tides are expected about the southern Gulf of Carpentaria coast during the next day or so.
Most computer models for the tropical low now expect the weather system to move towards the Katherine region.
Although the cyclone, which is already weak, would have by then been downgraded to a tropical low, big amounts of rain would be dumped across an already saturated region.
A bureau spokeswoman said the cyclone itself would only impact on communities where it crosses the coast.
“At this stage, we are forecasting that the cyclone will weaken to a tropical low as it hits the coast, and will bring a return to showers and storms along the base of the Top End (including Katherine) later this week,” the spokeswoman said.
The cyclone has had its first impact in the Katherine region with the postponement of ordinary meeting of council scheduled for Wednesday at Mataranka.
Heavy wet season inundation and the emergence of a Tropical Cyclone in the Gulf of Carpentaria has forced Roper Gulf Regional Council to postpone the meeting.
Chief executive officer Michael Berto said the postponement was unavoidable due to the weather conditions created by Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
The council will announce the date of the rescheduled meeting, which will still be held in Mataranka, in coming weeks.