Tropical Cyclone Fina is impacting island and coastal communities as it approaches Darwin. Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS

The first cyclone of the season is threatening northern Australia, triggering commonwealth assistance as the Top End bunkers down.

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Tropical Cyclone Fina is expected to intensify as it approaches the Northern Territory, prompting a warning for locals to prepare for heavy downpours and destructive winds.

Federal help has been offered to the NT government as it prepares for Cyclone Fina, which weakened to a category one system overnight.

Darwin has been placed in a

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