Anticipation Grows as Port Hedland Shuts for Cyclone Zelia Preparations

Port Hedland, Australia’s largest iron ore port, has closed in anticipation of Tropical Cyclone Zelia, which may become a powerful category three cyclone. Preparations are in place, including evacuations and secure supply chains for local communities. Major roadways may be affected, and clean-up efforts are ongoing in Queensland, following significant flooding that caused fatalities and evacuations.

Australia’s largest iron ore port, located in Port Hedland, has been closed in anticipation of Tropical Cyclone Zelia, which is projected to intensify into a severe category three cyclone. As it approaches Western Australia’s coast, concerns have escalated among authorities and mining companies in the region, impacting operations and safety protocols.

Local resident Chris Ward reported that the community is actively preparing for the storm, with residents purchasing essential supplies and securing their properties. “The rain has well and truly started. People are stocking up at the supermarket on food and water, and tying down stuff around their homes,” he conveyed to the AAP. The local airport has also seen an uptick in flights as workers prepare to leave.

The Bureau of Meteorology indicated the cyclone could transform into a damaging category three system before making landfall on the Pilbara or west Kimberley coast. Destructive wind gusts reaching speeds of up to 220 km/h are anticipated. Consequently, the Pilbara Ports Authority has taken precautionary measures by vacating berths and closing the port.

Mining giant BHP has curtailed non-essential travel to Port Hedland, yet iron ore production is ongoing. Authorities are collaborating with retailers to ensure an adequate supply chain for remote, Indigenous, and isolated communities as the cyclone approaches the east Pilbara coast.

In preparation for potential evacuation scenarios, additional personnel, flood boats, and aircraft have been deployed in advance. An evacuation center is expected to open at Port Hedland in response to upgraded warnings. Rainfall exceeding 500 mm is projected, exacerbating concerns for those residing within a designated warning zone from Bidyadanga to Dampier.

Major roadways and critical routes may experience disruptions lasting up to one week in northern Western Australia. Parallel to these developments, clean-up efforts are ongoing in north Queensland following extensive flooding that has taken two lives and instigated mass evacuations. Although flooding threats remain, the deluge that impacted communities has, at last, subsided.

The closure of Port Hedland in preparation for Tropical Cyclone Zelia highlights the region’s vulnerability to severe weather events. Local preparedness measures, such as securing supplies and implementing safety protocols, underscore a proactive approach to potential disasters. With significant rainfall and destructive winds anticipated, efforts to protect the community are of utmost importance.

Original Source: thenightly.com.au