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Cyclone Ilsa: Powerful storm hits Western Australia Cyclone Ilsa: Powerful storm hits Western Australia
(about 4 hours later)
A powerful storm has made landfall on the northern coast of Western Australia (WA). A powerful cyclone has hit Western Australia as a category five storm, setting a wind speed record but sparing populated areas from major damage.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa crossed the coast near Port Hedland just before midnight (17:00 BST) on Thursday as a category five storm. Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa struck the state close to Port Hedland, the world's largest iron ore export hub, just before midnight (17:00 BST).
It has since been downgraded to category three but still has the potential to cause significant damage. The storm has been downgraded to category three, but a red alert remains in place for some inland communities.
Ilsa is expected to stay as a tropical cyclone during Friday before weakening overnight into Saturday. The cyclone is the strongest to hit the region in some 14 years.
Hours before it made a land, a red alert was issued - with thousands of people ordered to take immediate shelter. Port Hedland Mayor Peter Carter described the sound of the wind hitting the town as "very eerie and unusual" and "like a freight train".
It is the country's most serious cyclone alert level. Under it, people are told to remain in the strongest, safest part of their homes and to stay away from doors and windows until they are given the all clear by authorities. One well-known local tavern and caravan park lying right in the path of the storm - the Pardoo roadhouse - suffered "great damage", its owners said on Facebook.
But there have so far been no reports of injury to people and all critical infrastructure was undamaged by the cyclone, the region's fire chief said.
"Once we can get crews onto the ground and helicopters in the air... we will move along the coast just to check to see roads and other critical infrastructure, Peter Sutton told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Winds of 218km/h were recorded on Bedout Island just off the coast as the storm touched down, setting a preliminary 10-minute sustained wind record for Australia.
The previous record was 194km/h - winds that were recorded when Cyclone George slammed into the country in 2007.
While northern Australia is no stranger to cyclones, this storm is the strongest to hit the region in 14 years.While northern Australia is no stranger to cyclones, this storm is the strongest to hit the region in 14 years.
The "very destructive core" of the storm will bring "extreme" wind gusts of up to 315km/h (195mph) in parts of the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said. Ilsa's very destructive winds were moving inland, but the storm is predicted to weaken further overnight into Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said.
BBC WEATHER: North-west Australia braced for powerful Cyclone Some remote communities were evacuated
Winds of 218km/h were recorded on Bedout Island just off the coast as the storm touched down, setting a preliminary 10-minute sustained wind record, according to the BOM. As the cyclone approached, Port Hedland residents made last minute preparations by sandbagging and securing homes and businesses, Channel Nine reporter Ezra Holt told the BBC from the town.
The previous record was 194km/h - winds that were recorded when Cyclone George hit Australia in 2007.
"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.
Residents, including some 15,000 people in Port Hedland, the world's biggest iron ore exporting port, have been placed under the red alert.
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."
Remote communities are being evacuated
On Thursday as the cyclone approached, residents made last minute preparations by sandbagging and securing homes and businesses, Channel Nine reporter Ezra Holt told the BBC from Port Hedland.
He added that there were mixed emotions within the town, with some not too fussed, and others more concerned because cyclones this strong are quite rare.He added that there were mixed emotions within the town, with some not too fussed, and others more concerned because cyclones this strong are quite rare.
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. Ships, including iron ore carriers, were reportedly moved from the Port Hedland harbour as the storm approached.
Some 700 residents from the remote community of Bidyadanga have been evacuated, the fire service has said.
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.
The last category five cyclone to hit WA was Cyclone Laurence in 2009. Two years earlier, another category five storm, Cyclone George, killed three people as it tore through mining camps just south of Port Hedland.The last category five cyclone to hit WA was Cyclone Laurence in 2009. Two years earlier, another category five storm, Cyclone George, killed three people as it tore through mining camps just south of Port Hedland.
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