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Cyclone Olywn brings winds to Western Australian coast Cyclone Olywn brings winds to Western Australian coast
(about 11 hours later)
A severe tropical cyclone has hit the coast of Western Australia, bringing heavy rain and hurricane-force winds.A severe tropical cyclone has hit the coast of Western Australia, bringing heavy rain and hurricane-force winds.
Category three Cyclone Olwyn made landfall near Exmouth around 23:30 local time (17:30 GMT) on Wednesday, with wind gusts up to 195kph (120mph). Category three Cyclone Olwyn is now heading towards Perth, having weakened after making landfall near Exmouth on Wednesday night.
As of 17:00 local time (09:00 GMT), it was packing winds of 130kph (81mph) and was moving south at 24kph.
People in the region have been warned to move to higher ground to escape dangerous flooding.People in the region have been warned to move to higher ground to escape dangerous flooding.
The cyclone is moving steadily south at 25kph and is expected to remain severe for six to nine hours. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology warned of "very destructive" winds and extensive flooding across the coast, but also noted that the cyclone was weakening as it moved south.
The wind speeds near the eye of the storm were potentially "very destructive", Austen Watkins, a tropical cyclone forecaster from the Bureau of Meteorology, told the BBC. Residents in coastal communities in the direct path of the storm have been put on red alert and told to seek shelter in the strongest part of their homes.
Residents around Exmouth have been put on red alert, instructing them to stay indoors. In the town of Exmouth, hundreds have been left without power and the mains water supply has been affected, according to local reports. Roads have been washed out and strong winds tore off some roofs.
Storm tide Weather officials said that Perth was likely to experience very heavy rain by late Friday night and flash flooding in low-lying areas.
The coastal stretch to the east of Exmouth was already suffering a "very dangerous storm tide", Mr Watkins said. 'Very destructive'
The river system south of the town, which is still recovering from severe flooding two weeks ago, was expected to see a 200 ml rise in the water level, he added. Mike Bergin, regional director of the Bureau of Meteorology, warned the wind could turn any object into a missile.
Mike Bergin, Regional Director of the Bureau of Meteorology, warned the wind could turn any object into a missile.
"At the strength we're talking about with Olwyn, anything that is not strapped down could become a missile - trees and power lines could be brought down," Mr Bergin told the WA Today news outlet."At the strength we're talking about with Olwyn, anything that is not strapped down could become a missile - trees and power lines could be brought down," Mr Bergin told the WA Today news outlet.
"It has the potential to be very destructive." The cyclone is expected to lower to category two before dying into a low-pressure system on Saturday morning,
The cyclone is expected to remain severe as it moves over Coral Bay, before gradually easing as it heads south over Canavan and Denham. Tens of thousands of homes in Queensland were damaged or left without power in February after Cyclone Marcia hit the coast.
It will lower to a category two cyclone before dying into a low-pressure system on Saturday morning,
Tens of thousands of homes in Queensland were damaged or left without power in February after category four Cyclone Marcia hit the coast.
Separately, Tropical Cyclone Lam hit a remote area of the Northern Territory, also in February.Separately, Tropical Cyclone Lam hit a remote area of the Northern Territory, also in February.