Tropical cyclone forms off WA coast, Pilbara residents urged to prepare

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A tropical cyclone has formed off Western Australia’s northwest coast, prompting residents in the Pilbara region to prepare for potential impacts. Reporter Charlie Mills has the latest from Port Hedland.

Transcript

00:00Tropical cyclone Zelia has formed this morning off the Kimberley coast.

00:07It currently sits as a Category 1 system about 280km west of Broome and about 320km north

00:15of here in Port Hedland.

00:17We have heard a bit from the Bureau of Meteorology in what we can expect in terms of the track

00:22of this cyclone.

00:23Let's take a listen.

00:24A lot of work to do I should say in the coming days for it to do that, but definitely looking

00:28like increasing chances of a crossing of a severe cyclone on Friday, probably to the

00:32west, sorry to the east of Port Hedland.

00:36Today communities have woken up to some pretty heavy rain up and down the coast, especially

00:41here in Port Hedland.

00:44That cyclone advice warning is in place for between Broome and Dampier as well as inland

00:49to Marble Bar.

00:51We're expecting some damaging wind gusts for Broome and Port Hedland regions.

00:56Currently there are cyclone advice warnings in that region to prepare now and to continue

01:00monitoring those conditions.

01:02We are expecting some of those isolated heavy rainfalls along the coast from Broome to Dampier

01:08and that is expected to pick up later today.

01:11Meanwhile preparations are underway here in Port Hedland.

01:15Yesterday the Port Authority began the process of clearing the Port of Port Hedland which

01:20is the world's largest bulk export port and they expect to be completed with that process

01:25by 6pm this evening.

01:27Meanwhile the local government authority has begun their cyclone processes including tying

01:32down any loose items or trees.

01:35Residents here have been urged to prepare their homes in part by grabbing sandbags from

01:41the local SES Centre.

01:43We spoke to the SES Centre on Monday afternoon and they told us they had given out around

01:473,500 sandbags over two days so people are taking advantage of the resources available

01:53to them.

01:55We also went to the local caravan park here yesterday where there were a number of visitors

01:59and permanent residents there.

02:01They've been told they need to leave by this morning in order to protect their safety.

02:06Meanwhile people in Port Hedland are monitoring those conditions, waiting on tenterhooks to

02:10see how it develops over the next few days.

Category

Transcript

Recommended