Preparing for the Wrath of Tropical Cyclone Zelia: Western Australia Braces for Category-Five Storm

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After an “eerie” feeling bracing for a dangerous tropical cyclone, a regional hub has been spared the worst from the category-five storm.

Residents in Port Hedland had braced for serious damage as Tropical Cyclone Zelia made landfall, prompting authorities to put the Australian Defence Force on standby to assist.

Zelia hit the coast hours earlier than expected on Friday, unleashing 290km/h winds and triggering flash flooding.

That sparked memories of Cyclone Ilsa’s deadly impact in 2023 which claimed eight lives.

But Zelia was quickly downgraded to a category four as it moved east of Port Hedland, still producing winds up to 250km/h, heavy rainfall and a “dangerous” storm surge.

Residents from Pardoo Roadhouse to Whim Creek and inland to west of Marble Bar were told to take shelter, with authorities warning it was too late to leave.

“It’s very eerie sort of feeling,” deputy mayor Ash Christensen told the Australian Associated Press of the looming system earlier on Friday.

“We put a brave face on but I think everyone, deep down inside are a little bit worried about this one.”

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

But WA Fire and Emergency Services commissioner Darren Klemm played down the threat.

“We know that with the passage of the cyclone to the east of Port Hedland, that perhaps we may not get the damage that we anticipated,” he said.

“Certainly the cyclone where it’s crossing the coast (east of Port Hedland) … is a better result than what it would have been.”

A satellite image of a cyclone shows swirling clouds forming a tornado-like pattern.

A satellite image from the Bureau of Meteorology shows Tropical Cyclone Zelia over the coast of Western Australia around Port Hedland on Thursday. Credit: Supplied

Heavy rain and strong winds still lashed the town, with locals posting pictures of the damage outside.

“It’s wild out there. There’s a large tree branch broken and fallen on our street,” Tracey Heimberger told AAP.

She admitted to being a “bit scared” as the cyclone approached, keeping her fingers crossed her home would “hold together” .

“We’ve done all preparations we can. We’ve even put our passports in zip-lock bags,” she said.

The cyclone’s path was a “good result” for Port Hedland, WA Premier Roger Cook said.

Shops, roads, ports and almost 30 schools were closed in the state’s northwest with three-day rainfall totals of up to 500mm predicted.

Almost 200 people had fled to evacuation centres at Karratha and South Hedland by late Friday, with major highways near Port Hedland and regional airports closed.

Two Australian Defence Force fixed-wing aircraft were set to arrive on Saturday to assist local crews.

“We’ve got a whole raft of resources ready to go should they be required … for really catastrophic damage,” Klemm said.

Zelia had rapidly intensified as it zeroed in on Australia’s coast, developing from a category three to a five in 24 hours – progress experts claimed was “highly unusual”.

It was expected to gradually weaken as it moved inland, potentially becoming a tropical low by Saturday.

Rain and wind were still forecast to hit large parts of the northern interior and the central Gascoyne, the bureau said.