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Cyclone Ilsa: Western Australia braces for category 4 storm Cyclone Ilsa: Western Australia braces for category five storm
(about 7 hours later)
The cyclone is predicted to make landfall on Western Australia's northern coast A powerful storm that is charging towards Western Australia (WA) has intensified to a category five system.
Western Australia is bracing for the arrival of a major storm which could bring "very destructive" winds of up to 275 km/h (170 mph). Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa is expected to hit Port Hedland, in the state's north, late on Thursday night.
Tropical Cyclone Ilsa is predicted to strike some 500 kilometres (310 miles) west of Broome. A red alert has been issued across the region, with thousands of people ordered to take immediate shelter.
Food and fuel have been delivered to remote areas, and people have been advised to stock up on water. While northern Australia is no stranger to cyclones, this storm is predicted to be the strongest to hit the region in almost 10 years.
The category four storm could be region's strongest in almost 10 years, authorities say. The "very destructive core" of the storm will bring "extreme" wind gusts of up to 315km/hr (195mph) in parts of the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said.
A yellow alert, which orders people to be ready to shelter, has been issued for several remote towns including Port Hedland, a town of 15,000 which is the world's biggest iron ore exporting port. "There is a threat to lives and homes. You are in danger and need to act immediately," the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said, when the red alert was issued on Thursday afternoon, local time.
Port Hedland mayor Peter Carter said evacuation centres have been set up in the town. Residents, including some 15,000 people in Port Hedland, the world's biggest iron ore exporting port, have been ordered to shelter inside and stay away from doors and windows.
"It is too late to leave. Stay indoors until the all clear is given by authorities," the red alert warning states.
Port Hedland Mayor Peter Carter said evacuation centres had been set up in the town.
"Everyone is on edge," Mr Carter told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "They understand that cyclones are what they are. They're very, very unpredictable.""Everyone is on edge," Mr Carter told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "They understand that cyclones are what they are. They're very, very unpredictable."
Some 700 residents from the remote community of Bidyadanga were being evacuated, the fire service said. Some 700 residents from the remote community of Bidyadanga have been evacuated, the fire service has said.
Winds in Ilsa's "very destructive core" could gust up to 275 km/h on Thursday night into Friday morning local time, before the storm moves inland, according to Australia's Bureau Of Meteorology (BOM). Weather officials also warned of up to 400mm (15.7in) of rain and abnormally high tides, with the storm's impact felt across a 600km (370 mile) region from Port Hedland to just south of Broome.
The BOM also warned of up to 400mm of rain and abnormally high tides, with the storm's impact felt across a 600km region from Port Hedland to just south of Broome.
Remote communities are being evacuatedRemote communities are being evacuated
Port Hedland, which is used by iron ore producers BHP Group, Fortescue and billionaire Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting, may escape the worst, the BOM said, but the town could still see gusts of up to 155 km/h. In Port Hedland, iron ore carrying ships were reportedly being moved from the harbour. Mining company BHP told Reuters it was closely monitoring the situation, but its mining and rail operations were continuing.
Iron ore carrying ships were reportedly being moved from Port Hedland harbour. BHP told Reuters it was closely monitoring the situation, but its mining and rail operations were continuing. Ilsa is set to be the strongest storm system to hit Australia's north-west since Cyclone Christine, which peaked at category four, in December 2013.
Ilsa is set to be the strongest storm to hit Australia's north west since Cyclone Christine in December 2013. The last category five storm was Cyclone George in 2007. It remains one of Australia's most powerful storm systems, and killed three people as it tore through mining camps just south of Port Hedland.
The last category four storm to make landfall anywhere in the country was Cyclone Trevor, which hit the Northern Territory and Queensland in 2019.
In April 2021, category three Cyclone Seroja hit WA's west coast with gusts of up to 170km/h, damaging houses, and toppling trees and power lines.
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