Damage caused by ex-tropical cyclone Zelia leads to flood alerts in WA

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Properties have been damaged and large trees uprooted by an ex-tropical cyclone that’s still wreaking havoc in Western Australia, with record rainfall triggering significant flooding.

But one of the world’s busiest iron ore loading ports appears to have been spared the worst of the destruction.

Category five system Zelia and quickly downgraded as it crossed the coast east of Port Hedland on Friday.

Surrounding areas suffered property damage when winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour struck, but the strongest parts of the system hit remote areas, according to Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines.

“In many places, especially around Port Headland, it is fortunate that the winds were not even stronger which certainly could have been the case if the tropical cyclone had taken a different path,” he said.

‘Exceptionally rare’ rainfall

A record 500 millimetres of rain fell in just three days in parts of the Pilbara, with 278 mm recorded at Upper North Pole in just 18 hours.

The small town of Telfer, about 400km south of Broome, copped 93 mm in one hour.

“This is exceptionally rare for that location and that part of the world,” Hines said.

“The rain has caused significant flooding and widespread road closures across the Pilbara region.”

Major mining hub Port Hedland was spared the worst of Zelia’s destructive winds despite earlier fears it would take a direct hit.

Port Hedland local Chris Ward said it had been a hectic time but not as bad as he feared.

“We’ve had plenty of rain and wind,” he told AAP.

“But it looks like the cyclone’s eye is well inland now and the roof is still on the house, and that’s a good thing.”

Residents in Port Hedland have been battered by ex-tropical cyclone Zelia but spared the worst of its fury. Source: Supplied / Tracey Heimberger

Port Hedland is one of the world’s largest iron ore export points, with any lengthy cyclone-enforced port closure potentially disrupting global supply.

Ships and trains were cleared from ports in the area in preparation for Zelia. But mining groups said it was too early to tell what impact it would have on supply as the northwest recovered.

A severe weather warning remains for the parts of Pilbara, Gascoyne, North Interior and South Interior districts, with flood watches and flood warnings across the region.

“Rainfall totals of up to 120 mm are expected in the coming 24 hours, which is a lot for this typically quite dry region,” Hines said.

“We may still see river rises in the coming 24 hours.”

Zelia approached WA’s coast with winds of up to 290 km/h, initially sparking fears in Port Hedland of Cyclone Ilsa’s deadly impact in 2023 when eight people died.

The Australian Defence Force will assist with the recovery after the wild weather closed roads, schools, shops and ports, with about 200 people fleeing to evacuation centres.

Zelia is forecast to move south further into the Pilbara and parts of the Gascoyne on Saturday as it loses intensity but is still expected to bring heavy rainfall.