Lili

History

Tropical Cyclone Lili developed from a tropical low that formed over the Banda Sea on 4 May 2019, approximately 750 kilometres north-northwest of Darwin. The system tracked slowly southward over several days before being classified as a Category 1 cyclone on the Australian scale on 9 May 2019, making it the tenth named tropical cyclone of the 2018–19 Australian region season. It was named by Indonesia's BMKG, as it formed within Jakarta's area of tropical cyclone warning responsibility. Lili reached peak intensity on 9 May with ten-minute sustained winds of 75 km/h, gusts to 100 km/h, and a central pressure of 997 hPa. The storm weakened below cyclone intensity on 10 May and made landfall in northern East Timor as a tropical low on 11 May before dissipating.

Its precursor tropical low brought prolonged heavy rainfall to Indonesia's Maluku Islands, causing severe flooding in several villages — particularly in the Southeast Maluku Regency — to average depths of around 1.5 metres, damaging homes and public infrastructure and displacing residents. Strong winds also reportedly caused a vessel to sink. In East Timor, widespread rainfall of 100–150 mm over 24-hour periods led to significant flooding, damaging roads, bridges, and other infrastructure, with the key route between Lospalos and Dili severely affected. Far-northern Australia experienced strong winds and elevated seas, though impacts there were comparatively mild. No fatalities or injuries were reported. Lili also set a record as the latest tropical cyclone on record in the BOM's northern tropical cyclone region.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia