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Cyclone Zelia as it happened: Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia makes landfall near De Grey River mouth east of Port Hedland

Daile Cross
Updated ,first published

Key Posts

Premier talks to PM about sending in defence force if needed
TC Zelia about to make landfall near DeGrey River mouth, east of Port Hedland
Australia’s iron ore export hub braces for impact
TC Zelia gusts at 285km/h off the coast
‘Record-breaking sea surface temperatures are feeding this monster’
‘Erratic and unpredictable’: What you need to know
Port Hedland looking at a direct hit

Zelia weakens to Category 3 but destructive gusts still a danger

By Emma Young

Thanks for following along today. We leave you this evening with the positive news that Zelia has weakened somewhat to a category 3, with winds near the centre now 150 km/h with gusts to 205 km/h.

There are no official damage reports yet as State Emergency Service volunteers wait out the Emergency Warning remaining for Pardoo to east of Whim Creek and inland to west of Marble Bar.

But residents are posting endless photos online of uprooted trees and flooded roads, and we have an unconfirmed report of damage to a childcare centre.

At 3pm Pilbara Ports reopened the Ports of Dampier and Varanus Island.

“Pilbara Ports has undertaken inspections of navigation aids, channels and berths and has confirmed safe operations can resume,” a spokesman said.

‘Cyclones happen’: Cook downplays climate change link to Zelia

By Hamish Hastie

Premier Roger Cook downplayed climate change links to the Category 5 Cyclone Zelia at his press conference this morning but the Bureau of Meteorology suggests otherwise.

When asked about the relationship between climate change and cyclones, Cook answered: “cyclones happened during cyclone season.”

“I’ve been on this planet for 59 years now, and in this state for 59 years, and I can assure you that it’s cyclone season,” he said.

“So understand that, folks, cyclones happen during cyclone season.”

Cyclone downgraded to Category 4

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TC Zelia has been downgraded to a Category 4 cyclone, with winds near the centre now 175km/h with gusts to 250km/h.

It made landfall at 12.30pm WST near De Grey River mouth, northeast of Port Hedland and will continue to weaken.

An emergency warning remains for the region surrounding Port Hedland with the community instructed to stay indoors and in the strongest part of their building.

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Mattress forts and gaffer taped doors: Residents in lockdown

By Claire Ottaviano

The streets of Port Hedland have been abandoned as residents barricade themselves inside from Cyclone Zelia.

Nine News Perth reporter Sarah Smith is on the ground as the category 5 cyclone moves through.

“We’re following the rules and staying indoors,” she said.

Flooding in the area.Candid Captures by AJ Downes

“Our crew has gaffer tapped the doors and put towels at the bottom so no water gets in – helpful advice from our cameramen that have been through cyclones before.”

It’s here! Tropical Cyclone Zelia barrels towards land

By Jesinta Burton

In breaking news, the destructive core of Tropical Cyclone Zelia is currently crossing the coast to the east of Port Hedland.

At midday, the centre of the category 5 system was around 65 kilometers to the north east of Port Hedland, and moving south east around 11km/h.

At its core, the cyclone was bringing destructive wind gusts of up to 290km/h, intense rainfall and flooding.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s General Manager Environmental Prediction Services Matthew Collopy said Port Headland was not expected to be impacted by the eye of the system, but said damaging wind gusts were still likely into the afternoon and a dangerous storm surge possible on the eastern side of the tropical cyclone track which could cause flash flooding.

Don’t get complacent’: DFES Commissioner urges communities to heed warnings as focus shifts to aftermath

By Jesinta Burton

The focus of emergency services has now shifted to dealing with the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Zelia as the system crosses the coast and makes landfall east of Port Hedland, bringing 290km/h winds and more than 500mm of rain across the Pilbara.

During a press conference this afternoon, Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said the cyclone was tracking further east than initially anticipated, sparing the regional town of Port Hedland from the brunt of the storm.

But Klemm urged communities impacted by the Category 5 system not to become complacent, warning hazards would not ease as the area continues to be battered by rainfall.

“We’re ready to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone, but it is critical impacted communities don’t get complacent,” he said.

“The conditions after a cyclone can be just as dangerous as the cyclone itself, including damaged buildings, fallen power lines and debris, it is extremely important that people remain indoors until the warning change on emergency WA.”

Crews have responded to 37 calls for assistance over the past two days, including a truck driver whose vehicle had been washed off a bridge.

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‘Stop driving around’: Locals angered as some refuse to shelter inside

By Emma Young

People have been asked to desist from walking and driving around Port Hedland as a cyclone bears down upon them.

The Hedland State Emergency Service wrote online this morning a blunt warning after seeing people driving and walking around town.

“Do not drive on emergency warning. The shops are closed, the service stations are closed … don’t do it. With the cyclone just hours away you risk your life doing these things. Don’t do it to your family.”

Multiple other residents whiling away their emergency lockdown on Facebook have reported and posted videos of people walking past their homes.

“So many idiots driving around in Port,” wrote one. “Go home.”

Watch: DFES Commissioner and Bureau of Meteorology press conference

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A media conference with Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm and the Bureau of Meteorology’s General Manager Environmental Prediction Services Matthew Collopy was held to provide an update on the cyclone. Watch it back here:

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Premier talks to PM about sending in defence force if needed

By Hamish Hastie

Despite its regular population of 16,000 there are currently only 124 people sheltered in the Port Hedland evacuation centre at the JD Hardie Youth and Community Hub, according to Premier Roger Cook.

Speaking from Geraldton in WA’s Mid West Cook said there was a further 43 people at the evacuation centre in Karratha, which will now be spared the full brunt of TC Zelia after she began tracking east.

Cook said Zelia was “really dangerous and big and it’s one which is going to threaten the communities right across the Pilbara in particular.”

Western Australia Premier Roger Cook is preparing for the aftermath. AAP

“Our hearts go out to the people in Port Hedland today, they’ve been in lockdown since 6.30 last night, under emergency cyclone warning rating,” he said.

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TC Zelia about to make landfall near DeGrey River mouth, east of Port Hedland

By Jesinta Burton

To the latest update from the Bureau of Meteorology now, with a warning that Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is about to make landfall near DeGrey River mouth east of Port Hedland.

Port Hedland looks likely to avoid the very destructive core of the cyclone, BOM says.

BOM has upgraded the wind gusts expected at the core of Tropical Cyclone Zelia and narrowed the central area of impact, with the cyclone set to make land fall just east of Port Hedland.

The forecast has been shifting back and forth as the cyclone moves off the coast, but the current analysis has Zelia continuing to move south and make landfall at 4pm AWST.

The bureau is confident the cyclone is now most likely to the east of Port Hedland, with wind gusts at its core having since been upgraded to 290km/h.

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