Australia is evacuating about 2,000 people from part of northern Australia ahead of a powerful cyclone expected to hit on Saturday.

Evacuees were being moved by air and road Thursday from remote, mostly indigenous communities on the Northern Territory's east coast to the territory's capital, Darwin.

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said Cyclone Trevor with winds gusting up to 160 miles an hour (260 kph) was expected to bring heavy rainfall and a dangerous storm surge.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said a state of emergency had been declared in part of the west coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, where Trevor is expected to make landfall.