Cyclone Ingrid to skirt Darwin

DARWIN - The Northern Territory city of Darwin is expected to miss the worst of Cyclone Ingrid, which hammered the Tiwi Islands off the Northern Territory coast overnight.

It was windy with patchy rain in Darwin this morning but the city was expected to be brushed by only the southern edge of the cyclone today, an NT police spokesman said.

There had been no reports of damage and it was likely Ingrid would continue on its current path, the spokesman said.

The Bureau of Meteorology last night downgraded the system to a category 3 cyclone.

But Darwin residents -- who just months ago marked the 30th anniversary of the death and destruction of Cyclone Tracy -- remain on alert and nervous.

Some public buildings and schools in the city are closed today.

In the Tiwi Islands, in the Arafura sea, some trees had been brought down and some buildings damaged but there had been no reports of injuries, the spokesman said.

The Tiwis' 4000 residents had bunkered down in emergency shelters overnight as Ingrid hit with strong gales.

However, details were sketchy because phone and power lines were down, the spokesman said.

The bureau warned dangerously high tides could cause extensive flooding to the island coasts as Ingrid sweeps through the area.

The cyclone warning continues for coastal and island communities between Daly River Mouth and Point Stuart, including the Tiwi Islands and Darwin.

A cyclone watch extends southwest to Kalumburu in Western Australia.

- AAP