‘Entirely wiped out’ crops, buildings destroyed and weeks of recovery as cyclone damage assessed

Critical Western Australia agriculture region counting cost of brutal cyclone as flooding risk persists for low-lying communities Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast An agricultural region that supplies about 60% of Western Australia’s fresh winter produce is assessing damage as authorities continue work on Sunday to restore power to a popular tourist town hit hard by Cyclone Narelle. The food-bowl region near Carnarvon, about 900km north of Perth, provides 80% of of the state’s bananas. Meanwhile, flooding risk remains in the state’s low-lying communities. Meanwhile, four structures have been confirmed destroyed and 27 damaged in Exmouth, a holiday town about 1250km north of Perth, though authorities expect those numbers to climb as more than 2000 homes are assessed. Power had been restored to 250 homes in the area on Sunday morning, and emergency crews had arrived to help restore services to the remainder. The local farm and produce store, Bumbak’s, was one of the properties impacted by the storm as it tore down the WA coast. “The corn has been absolutely flattened, the tomato seedlings have been wind blasted, they won’t be able to produce anyt