Gale Force Winds Smash WA Ahead of TC Cyclone Damien

Gale force winds battered the Western Australia coast yesterday morning as Tropical Cyclone Damien approached land.

By midday yesterday, the category 3 system was 175km away from Karratha and made a landfall in the afternoon.

Residents were urged to bunker down and the nation’s largest port has been cleared as weather conditions worsen along the coast.

The Pilbara Ports Authority said ports in Ashburton and Port Hedland were cleared, while the Port of Dampier was shut down.

Port Hedland is the world’s largest bulk export terminal, with iron ore miners BHP and Fortescue Metals Group among the key users.

“We’re expecting some damage to infrastructure in the Pilbara area, particularly around Karratha and Roeburne,” Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Brad Delavale said.

Residents between Dampier and Pardoo Roadhouse were warned of the potential for a very dangerous storm tide.

Heavy rain was also likely to cause flooding in the Pilbara and Gascoyne regions as the cyclone moves inland.

A red alert was currently in place for people in or near Whim Creek to Mardie and south to Millstream including Whim Creek, Point Samson, Cossack, Wickham, Roebourne, Karratha and Dampier.

The alert indicated a serious threat to lives and homes and Emergency WA has told residents in those areas to act immediately by seeking shelter in the “strongest, safest part of your house or an evacuation centre”.

A yellow alert was issued for Port Hedland to north or Whin Creek and south to Wittenoom in the Pilbara. A yellow alert indicated a possible threat to lives and homes and residents in the yellow alert zone were told to seek shelter immediately.

A blue alert was in place for the surrounding areas from Wallal Down to port Hedland to Onslow in the Pilbara.

While the alert signifies no immediate danger, residents have ben told to start preparing for the dangerous weather and keep up to date with any emergency warnings as the cyclone approaches.

Tropical Cyclone Damien is the third cyclone of the season off the WA coast.