Western Australia Hit by Strongest Cyclone in a Decade

Western Australia was hit by the strongest cyclone in more than 10 years, with the storm closing a key iron ore export port and forcing a gold mine 248 miles inland to wind down operations.

(Bloomberg) — Western Australia was hit by the strongest cyclone in more than 10 years, with the storm closing a key iron ore export port and forcing a gold mine 248 miles inland to wind down operations.

Severe tropical cyclone Ilsa came ashore as a Category 4 storm between De Grey and Pardoo Roadhouse on Australia’s west coast about 1 p.m. New York time, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Before it made landfall, the cyclone, the class of storms that includes hurricanes, set a preliminary Australian wind speed record at 135 miles per hour.

Ilsa had winds of 121 mph as it began to weaken, according to the bureau. Wind speeds are calculated differently between the US and the rest of the world.

Australia’s western state is a key producer of commodities from metals to natural gas and cyclones can often halt production at mines and exports from ports. Newcrest Mining Ltd. is implementing plans to wind down production at its Telfer mine and reducing staffing to a skeleton crew, with Ilsa forecast to track inland and dump heavy rain on the operation.

Very destructive wind gusts of up to 170 kilometers per hour are possible at Telfer during Friday if the center of Ilsa passes close by, the bureau said.

Ilsa is the sixth tropical cyclone and will be the strongest to make landfall this season, which runs from Nov. 1 to April 30, according to the bureau. Port Hedland — utilized by BHP Group and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. to export iron ore — was closed at 10 a.m. local time on Thursday due to the storm.

BHP is tying down equipment and pausing non-essential travel to Port Hedland, though mining and rail operations are continuing, along with select activities at the port including stockpiling and maintenance, a spokesperson said.

The highway between Port Hedland and the town of Broome has been closed and evacuation centers opened, according to a notice from Western Australian emergency services.

Grocery stores at Port Hedland were stripped of fresh produce, water, meat and cheese as people stocked up on supplies ahead of the cyclone, according to reports from local media. Residents were also asked to put away trash cans and barbecues to prevent them from becoming missiles in strong winds.

The only other cyclone to make landfall in the country this season was Ellie in late December, which led to severe flooding through northern parts of Western Australia.

–With assistance from Liz Yee Xing Ng, Kevin Varley and Tim Smith.

(Updates first three paragraphs with latest bureau advisory.)

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