SYDNEY, March 20 - A severe tropical cyclone neared Australia's northeast coast on Friday as residents braced for destructive winds, heavy rain, flash floods and power outages, while authorities urged them to take immediate shelter.

Cyclone Narelle, currently swirling about 30 km (19 miles) off the coast in the Coral Sea, is expected to make landfall on Friday morning as a category four storm, one rung below the strongest category five, Australia's weather bureau said.