Top End residents have been urged not to panic but to hunker down in their homes as tropical cyclone Fina approaches and emergency shelters open.

The strengthened category-three system is bringing destructive wind gusts to remote communities in the region after passing over the Cobourg Peninsula overnight into the Van Diemen Gulf.

On Saturday, forecasters expect it to track just north of Darwin, which is expected to cop destructive and damaging winds and heavy rain, with the risk of flooding.

NT Police incident controller Kirsten Engels said the situation was serious, but people should not panic.

Everyone should stay in their homes or public shelters until emergency services declare it safe to leave, she said.

Emergency shelters had opened in Darwin, nearby Palmerston and adjacent rur

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