Tropical Cyclone Narelle was downgraded on Friday to a severe category three system, as it slid down Western Australia's northwest.
The storm had earlier left a trail of destruction in the Pilbara and North West Cape, including Exmouth before setting its sights on Carnarvon.
Shire president Eddie Smith said Carnarvon had been blanketed by a thick pink dust storm for about two hours, and wind gusts were over 100km/h.
"We've already got trees down and a long way to go yet," he said.
"We're probably looking at another 80-odd, maybe more, kilometres per hour.
"I just hope everybody is safe."
Holiday town Exmouth, 1250km north of Perth, felt the full force of Narelle's fury overnight, when the category four storm generated winds in excess of 250km/h.
Roofs were torn off buildings, power was lost, homes were flooded, and about 50 people had to abandon the isolated town's evacuation centre when it sustained wind damage.
Authorities say they're expecting to find significant damage once the winds die down and emergency crews can venture out.
Exmouth Shire president Matthew Niikkula said the town's 2800 residents had been through a harrowing night as Narelle's core passed to the west of the community.
"Not a person in town would have got any sleep last night ... screaming winds, lots of bangs, everyone's house shaking, sitting in the dark with their candles or their torch," he said.
"It's a really, really terrifying experience."
Tourism operator Murray Pattison holed up in a concrete home with friends and said it was a wild night as the cyclone passed the town.
"It's been howling and roaring," he said.
"We're very fortunate. I've just got a bit of water coming in, but there are people who have had roofs come off, houses completely flooded.
"Hopefully, we can just get to the other side of this and band together as a town and help those who need it."
Narelle tracked south to Coral Bay and made landfall just south of the tiny town before weakening to a category three system.
Caravan park worker Claudia Kozina said homes had been flooded and fences blown over as the eye of the storm passed almost directly over the community of about 250 people.
"Many people have a lot of water inside," she said.
Narelle was expected to pass to the east of Carnarvon on Friday afternoon and further weaken to a category two system.
Residents in Kalbarri and Geraldton have been warned they could still be impacted by damaging winds into the early hours of Saturday.
Narelle reformed from a tropical low after leaving a trail of destruction across parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory.
It's the first time a cyclone has hit the three jurisdictions since Ingrid made three land crossings in 2005.
The system is set to weaken as it moves southeast on Saturday and passes east of Perth before moving out over the Southern Ocean.
Heavy rain is forecast for Perth, but severe winds are unlikely.
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