Cyclone Zelia is weakening as it moves south, but not before battering Western Australia’s Pilbara coast with wind gusts of up to 290 kph (180 mph) and heavy rain. Authorities are now assessing the damage, reopening roads and ports, and warning of ongoing flood risks.
The North West Coastal Highway reopened on Saturday, restoring a key transport link after being shut when Zelia made landfall on Friday (February 14). Pilbara Ports also confirmed that Dampier and Varanus Island—major hubs for oil and gas—resumed operations after closing as a precaution.
Zelia, the most severe storm to hit the Pilbara coast since Cyclone Ilsa in April 2023, made landfall as a category five storm before weakening as it moved south. Though major population centres avoided its most destructive winds, widespread flooding and infrastructure damage have been reported.
Emergency crews are working to clear debris and restore essential services, while authorities urge caution due to lingering floodwaters and road closures in some inland areas.
Read next
04:45
A group of top Trump administration officials reportedly shared sensitive military plans over the encrypted messaging app Signal just hours before the United States launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, sparking a political storm in Washington.
03:21
Bank of America (BofA) said the recent volatility in Turkish markets has so far had only a limited inflationary impact, stressing that Türkiye’s economic management remains in control.
02:02
A severe cyberattack disabled Ukraine’s online railway ticketing system on Monday, causing extensive queues and disruptions, with Kyiv officials attributing the incident to a possible Russian attempt to destabilise the nation.
01:20
Tuberculosis (TB) cases among children in Europe's WHO region increased by 10% in 2023, marking a troubling rise that underscores ongoing disease transmission, according to a World Health Organization report released on Monday.
00:18
U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated on Monday his proposal for the United States to annex Greenland, sparking strong criticism from Greenlandic and Danish officials over a planned visit by a high-level U.S. delegation later this week.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment