By Robyn Wuth and Lloyd Jones in Brisbane

One of the biggest cyclones “in living memory” is expected to lash northern Australia, sparking fears flood-hit regions will face more devastation.

Tropical Cyclone Narelle is barrelling toward far north Queensland, predicted to make landfall as a dangerous category five system, unleashing winds of up to 225km/h.

The destructive cyclone is tipped to cross the coast near Coen, north of Cairns, early on Friday, triggering warnings the system may tear off roofs and propel debris at potentially fatal speeds.

“This may be the biggest system that many people have seen in living memory,” Queensland Premier David Crisafulli warned on Wednesday.

“The situation is evolving. It’s a serious situation, and the window to act is obviously closing.”

Residents are being warned to brace for very destructive wind gusts, intense rainfall and dangerous flooding as Cyclone Narelle crosses the coast.

The monster system has sparked fears it will leave a trail of destruction after it was forecast to make three separate landfalls.

Cyclone Narelle is set to cross Cape York, then onto the Northern Territory’s Top End coast before moving into Western Australia’s Kimberley coast.

It is the third system to impact the sodden Queensland region in barely two months after two lows struck, causing widespread flooding.

Narelle is the biggest to hit the far north since category four system Cyclone Debbie devastated the Whitsundays in 2017, causing billions of dollars in damage.

More than 100 emergency personnel have been deployed north as locals batten down the hatches.

“This is not the opportunity for you to be outside during the cyclone, getting that TikTok moment – do not do it,” state disaster coordinator Chris Stream said.

“A piece of debris being propelled at over 100km/h will kill you.”

A cyclone watch zone has been declared from Lockhart River on the Cape York Peninsula to the Port Douglas region.

An emergency alert was issued on Wednesday for Lockhart River warning locals to “prepare now”.

“This is a cyclone watch and act. Secure belongings, warn others and plan a safe shelter,” it said.

The system was making a beeline for Cape York with damaging wind gusts of up to 120km/h expected to impact the coast by Thursday.

“As the system crosses on Friday morning we are expecting those very destructive wind gusts of more than 225km/h,” the bureau’s senior meteorologist Jonathan How told AAP.

“We are expecting to see property damage, roofs being torn off houses and businesses as well as trees being stripped and power lines cut down.”

Heavy rainfall was also expected, causing flash flooding and a dangerous storm tide.

Flood watches were in place south to Cairns and Ingham with the cyclone expected to bring a significant amount of rain across tropical Queensland, Mr How said.

Cyclone Narelle will also drench already swamped communities at the base of the Top End, including Katherine.

The NT government on Tuesday announced a $100 million flood recovery fund to rebuild critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges and flood levees.

About 580 people from the flooded NT communities of Daly River and Palumpa were still in emergency shelters in Darwin and Mataranka.

Flooding at the evacuated Daly River community has reached roof height after water levels peaked at 16.42m – eclipsing a 1998 record.

“I think everybody’s just holding their breath at the moment, hoping that it just dissipates or goes around,” Katherine Mayor Joanna Holden told AAP.