A powerful tropical cyclone is making its way toward the Pilbara region of northwestern Australia, raising alarms for severe weather impacts, including devastating winds and extensive rainfall. Expected to make landfall late Friday, Tropical Cyclone Zelia is currently exhibiting sustained winds of 127 miles per hour, which places it at a Category 3 intensity on the Atlantic hurricane scale, marking it as an incredibly dangerous storm.
Meteorologists have warned that Zelia's maximum gusts could soar up to 180 miles per hour upon reaching the Australian coastline. Angus Hines, a senior meteorologist from Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, highlighted that this intensity represents the pinnacle of tropical cyclone strength, potentially resulting in “widespread damage and destruction.”
In the Pilbara region, known for its significant mining operations, including those of Rio Tinto, BHP, and Fortescue, the consequences of the cyclone are already being felt as Osterman Ports have initiated shutdowns. High-traffic ports such as Port Hedland have ceased operations, threatening the flow of iron ore critical to the global economy. Additionally, ports in Dampier and Varanus Island are poised to close due to the impending storm.
As the storm approaches, local towns such as Karratha and Port Hedland are on high alert, with many roads, parks, schools, and stores already shut down in anticipation of the cyclone. With rainfall predictions estimating over 19.7 inches in certain areas, the risk of flash flooding and coastal surges poses further challenges for residents and industries in the region.
Yan Zhuang, a reporter in Seoul, continues to monitor developments as this unfolding weather event impacts a crucial economic sector.
