CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Copper and iron ore are feeling the weight of a slowdown in Chinese factory activity and weakness in the steel sector in April.  London Metal Exchange copper was down around 3.34% (1 May) at US$9,125 ($14,232) per tonne while iron ore edged back 0.1% to US$99.76 per tonne overnight ANZ Head of Australian Economics Adam Boyton says despite the slowdown in Chinese manufacturing activity data suggests the copper market remains tight.  “The Yangshan premium has nearly tripled to US$94/t over the past three months,” he notes.   “Inventories have fallen sharply in recent weeks leading to a trading house warning that the market is suffering one of the greatest tightening shocks in history on fears of US tariffs “The Shanghai Futures Exchange reported copper inventories fell 24% yesterday to reach their lowest seasonal level since 2022.” has notched its third consecutive monthly loss after Angang Steel posted its 11th consecutive quarterly loss “This comes amid reports that mills are about to cut steel output due to the uncertain economic backdrop,” Boyton says.  Gold was also on the backfoot after US data showed signs of economic contraction.  The price slid 0.4% to around $3,260 an ounce as of 10.30am AEST Boyton says the US economy contracted for the first time since 2022 on a pre-tariff import surge and more moderate consumer spending the S&P/ASX200 has opened the session relatively flat and is down just 6.2 points to 8,120 points by 10.30am (AEST) but is virtually unchanged over the last year to date with materials wiping off 0.92% while utilities advanced 0.24% and industrials rose 0.23% The S&P/ASX200 is Australia’s leading share market index and contains the top 200 ASX-listed companies in terms of market capitalisation and accounts for about 80% of the country’s equity market The index is designed to measure the performance of the 200 largest index-eligible stocks listed on the ASX by float-adjusted market capitalisation It is recognised as the institutional investable benchmark in the country Write to Angela East at Mining.com.au  Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon Unico Silver (ASX:USL) says the final results from phase-two diamond drilling at.. Dateline Resources pursues OTCQB listing in US North Bay advances gold production optimisation  Gilded market: Has jewellery demand lost lustre? ASX ends winning streak as energy sector... Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths... Metro on track to hit 2025 bauxite... ASX shifts down a gear Stay Informed on up-to-the-minute mining news Get the best articles straight to your inbox ASX ends winning streak as energy sector tumbles05 May Military Metals discusses antimony exploration in Slovakia05 May Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon05 May Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths targets    05 May Over 130 representatives of regional and remote communities attended the awards at Optus Stadium on 29 November the Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards event acknowledges sustainable litter-free communities by celebrating initiatives such as litter prevention are funded by the State Government through the Waste Authority and supported by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation Port and South Hedland was crowned State Winner and was a finalist in 4 categories Port and South Hedland will now represent WA at the National Tidy Towns Awards Read the Minsters Statement here. Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead. The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land, waters and community. We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present. We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Authorities have issued an Emergency Warning for the town of Port Hedland and surrounding areas, instructing residents to shelter indoors immediately as it is too late to leave safely. The emergency warning area stretches inland to west of Marble Bar, as Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia slowly moves towards the Pilbara coast of Western Australia. Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is approaching the Western Australian coast.Credit: DFES There is a threat to lives and homes in the emergency area, authorities said. Trees have been uprooted in the town of Port Hedland as winds get stronger ahead of the cyclone making landfall. Destructive wind gusts are likely for communities on the Pilbara coast from as early as Friday morning, the Bureau of Meteorology warned. The very destructive inner core of the cyclone will most likely cross the coast between De Grey and Karratha during Friday afternoon or evening. Heavy rainfall is expected overnight on Thursday and during Friday. Cyclone Zelia is likely to bring winds up to 160km/h overnight Thursday between De Grey and Roebourne, reaching Port Hedland by Friday morning. Near the centre of the cyclone gusts could hit 320km/h. A Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson said five extra flood boats had been sent to Karratha and Port Hedland. More than 10,500 sandbags had been distributed across the region, along with specialised equipment in key locations. “Widespread flooding is a serious risk, with 200 to 300mm of rain expected daily, likely closing Great Northern Highway for several days,” they said. The Emergency Warning area declared on Thursday evening.Credit: DFES “If a road is closed, it’s closed for a reason – just 30cm of water can wash away a 4WD. Don’t risk your life or the lives of those with you. “We can’t emphasise enough how severe this cyclone is – if you’re in the warning area, take action now. If an Emergency Warning is issued, shelter inside the safest, strongest part of your home.” \\u201CWidespread flooding is a serious risk, with 200 to 300mm of rain expected daily, likely closing Great Northern Highway for several days,\\u201D they said. \\u201CIf a road is closed, it\\u2019s closed for a reason \\u2013 just 30cm of water can wash away a 4WD. Don\\u2019t risk your life or the lives of those with you. \\u201CWe can\\u2019t emphasise enough how severe this cyclone is \\u2013 if you\\u2019re in the warning area, take action now. If an Emergency Warning is issued, shelter inside the safest, strongest part of your home.\\u201D The carnival consisted of over 85 students from five primary schools in Port Hedland who’d taken part in the SOAR education program before participating in the all-girls interschool competition The West Coast Eagles have launched the inaugural SOAR Cup giving female students in Port Hedland the opportunity to play football Port Hedland Primary School were the winners of the day taking home the inaugural SOAR Cup trophy Leading up to the carnival, all five schools participated in the SOAR program: a school wellbeing series consisting of four education modules aiming to engage female youth in topics which foster the development of positive attitudes and practices for adolescents The carnival was organised in large part by Port Hedland Youth Engagement Coordinator Claudia Bailey with the intention of better connecting female youth with the club and football through their schooling environment “The SOAR Cup is an extension of our SOAR wellbeing series where we go into schools delivering theory and practical sessions with the cup being designed to give each school that engaged with the program an opportunity to participate in an interschool football carnival,” Bailey said despite the hot weather conditions the girls still went out and played physically and competitively with no complaints having a go and trying something new which we were absolutely thrilled to see.” The carnival was a reward for the students’ work throughout the term and provided an opportunity for the girls to put into practice some of the skills they have learnt throughout the term working together as a team in an organised game format Cecilia's Catholic Primary School teacher Rachel Maher highlighted the success of the SOAR program leading up to the carnival “Some of these girls have never touched a footy in their lives Since Claudia has been running SOAR in our school I have had girls learning how to tackle diving for the ball with no fear and absolutely loving it,” Maher said With no other junior female football competitions existing in Port Hedland the SOAR Cup is the first of its kind and provides a chance for girls to learn “It worked well in this region particularly because we don’t have a junior girls competition here so it was received really well by students “The importance of this event is that we can provide these opportunities to girls in regional areas similar to those that they would receive if they lived in a metro area giving them a chance to play footy from a young age “The ideal impact is to encourage more girls to play footy providing real tangible career opportunities for some young girls in the Pilbara who want to take their footy to a professional level.” The West Coast Eagles are incredibly proud to create this opportunity for these students and would like to thank our Youth Engagement Partner BHP for continuing to support female football in regional areas leading the way for more events and programs like this that can continue to facilitate the development in girls from a young age For more information on how to get involved with our SOAR program for 2025 contact Hannah Ashe – hannaha@wce.com.au The club’s 2025 Sir Doug Nicholls Round guernsey has been revealed Bo Allan will miss the Eagles’ round nine clash with Richmond West Coast pulled levers to combat Melbourne's star Max Gawn Get to know the ins and outs of your West Coast Eagles AFLW contenders ahead of Saturday night’s Club Champion Awards Steve Bandy is joined by AFL.com.au reporter Nathan Schmook to run through our round 8 clash against the Demons Thanks to IGA, here are the Round 8 nominations for goal of the year. Head to our Facebook page to vote for the winner! Jack Graham joined us after the game tonight after losing to the Demons Melbourne's midfield dominance was too much for West Coast on Saturday night The West Coast Eagles Football Club acknowledges and pays respect to the Wadjuk people of the Noongar nation, the traditional custodians of land on the swan coastal plain and east beyond the hills. We pay respect to Elders both past and present and extend that respect to all First Nations Peoples. The West Coast Eagles is committed to reconciliation and empowering First Nations Peoples through the establishment of the Waalitj Foundation in 2005. Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia has reached category five strength with extreme wind gusts of up to 320kph forecast to hit the Pilbara A cyclone watch and act alert is in place from Eighty Mile Beach to Dampier and inland to Marble Bar and Millstream Zelia is expected to cross the Pilbara coast on Friday or early Saturday with conditions continuing to intensify Link copiedShareShare articleExtreme wind gusts of up to 320kph are forecast to hit the Pilbara region of WA on Friday as Tropical Cyclone Zelia barrels towards the coast with the forecast track map putting it dangerously close to Australia's biggest iron ore export port at Port Hedland The severe tropical cyclone is likely to cross the coast between Port Hedland and Karratha late Friday or early Saturday But with the system's exact track still uncertain the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) and the Bureau of Meterology say residents in both major Pilbara towns should take every precaution DFES Commissioner Darren Klem and the BOM’s James Ashley have now finished speaking and this is where we will leave our live coverage Thanks for joining us as authorities provided an update on Tropical Cyclone Zelia You can keep reading below and keep up to date on Emergency WA ReactReactCopy link13 Feb 5:36amThu 13 Feb 2025 at 5:36amCategory five systems 'pretty rare' in WAMr Ashley said it was uncommon to have a category five system affect WA that's the last time a category five cyclone crossed the WA coast “Generally it's the sort of thing that might happen sort of once every five years or so.” 5:34amThu 13 Feb 2025 at 5:34amTiming crucialMr Ashley said the timing of the cyclone crossing the coast would impact the severity of any storm surge “Tidal ranges up through the Pilbara are quite large," he said "So a crossing at low tide is unlikely to even reach the highest astronomical tide of the year but crossing at the time of high tide could significantly be above that level “The most likely scenario is that the actual cross is in between the two high tides of Friday which is around midday … and then again Friday night into Saturday morning.” ReactReactCopy linkShow moreThey're warning of very destructive wind gusts of up to 320kph as Zelia crosses the coast Port Hedland's deputy mayor says the town is among the most prepared in the world for a category five cyclone but there are fears for houses that haven't been well maintained schools have been closed and evacuation centres set up in Port Hedland and Karratha DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm said the cyclone posed a significant risk "The intensity of Tropical Cyclone Zelia means there is a significant threat to lives and property," he said "I urge people in the region to continue to check Emergency WA on the app or the website for the latest information on road closures." The latest track map for the tropical low and potential cyclone impacting northern WA DFES has confirmed a truck driver had to be rescued after being caught in floodwaters near Marble Bar on Thursday morning The driver was spotted standing on his partially submerged truck on Rippon Hills Road just after 10am A helicopter crew was dispatched from Newman A DFES spokesperson said the driver was taken to the nearby Woody Woody mine site to be assessed by paramedics The road had been closed due to flood risk since 7am The Pilbara's major highways will remain closed until the cyclone passes Port Hedland had received 90 millimetres of rain as of Thursday morning Bureau of Meteorology hazard preparedness manager James Ashley said parts of the Pilbara could receive up to 500mm of rain in coming days "Floodwaters move down rivers and creeks incredibly swiftly and people need to make sure that both themselves and children alike are staying out of those for days to come," he said Mr Ashley said the timing and track of the cyclone would impact the potential for storm surge along the coast "A crossing at low tide is unlikely to even reach the highest astronomical tide of the year but crossing at the time of high tide could significantly be above that level," he said "The most likely scenario is that the actual cross is in between the two high tides of Friday which is around midday … and then again Friday night into Saturday morning." Waves crash at Cemetery Beach in Port Hedland as severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia approaches the coast The slow movement of the severe tropical cyclone means the track could change Flooding remains the biggest concern for inland communities and a watch and act warning is in place for people in Marble Bar and Nullagine Hedland SES deputy manager Barry Harrison said he was aware some residents were nervous about the possibility of the system impacting the town Barry Harrison gives advice on how residents can prepare properties and cyclone kits "We've had a lot of rain and we've had some [serious] weather events in the past few weeks," he said Pastor Brad Holder said volunteers had come together to clean up debris and loose items around the building "The unpredictable nature of this one we're just really not sure what it's doing at the moment," he said "We're just taken the best precautions we can to keep everyone safe." Long-time resident and former Port Hedland mayor Kelly Howlett said it was important for the community to support each other "Everyone handles it in different ways Just don't get anxious and worked up by yourself," she said check on neighbours — just acknowledge that we might all react differently to this and respect that." Brad Holder and volunteers from South Hedland's C3 church work through wind and rain to clean debris around the building residents are also preparing for possible impact Bulgarra resident Karla Pearce was at the SES centre in Karratha on Thursday gathering sandbags for her home Karla Pearce says she feels under-prepared for the cyclone potentially moving further west we've been a bit unprepared cause it's sort of turning more towards Karratha now," she said Fellow resident Moana Puru was also at the centre collecting sandbags after starting her cyclone preparations on Wednesday "We did a bit of a shop yesterday and got some supplies water and [we're] grabbing a few sandbags for potential rain and critical weather," she said Moana Puru says she feels well prepared but nervous for what will be her first cyclone "This is my first cyclone so I don't know what to expect so preparing for everything I guess." Vessels were cleared from the mining town's port late on Wednesday the departure point for billions of dollars worth of iron ore mined across the Pilbara The ports of the Dampier and Varanus Island have also been cleared Great Northern Highway between Roebuck Plains Roadhouse and Buttweld Road in Port Hedland has been closed Ripon Hills Road and Marble Bar Road have also been closed Western Roads Federation CEO Cam Dumesny said the highway closure would shut the Kimberley region off from the west and efforts had been made to lessen the impact Port Hedland residents prepare sandbags ahead of Zelia's arrival "We're working with the retailers as we're surging supplies up into the Kimberley and other communities that will be potentially disrupted by the cyclone," he said "Our fuel hauliers are working with customers; fuels stations power stations and others to make sure that fuel's topped up medical supplies are being surged up." Mr Dumesny said they were also working with authorities in Northern Territory and South Australia to ensure an alternative route is available if needed On cattle stations along the Pilbara coast and further inland there is hope the coming rain will set them up for the year But they are mindful of the devastation these systems can bring Jeff McInnerney has been working to prepare Pardoo Station for several days bore the brunt of Tropical Cyclone Ilsa which crossed the coast at category five in 2023 Pardoo Beef general manager Jeff McInnernery said the station was still yet to fully recover from Isla Each one cost about $350,000 and we still have six to repair," he said On Pardoo Station the rain brought by Cyclone Zelia will be critical for the coming year "Then there was close to 300km of fencing damage We've still got 80km that hasn't been fixed "But I'm quietly confident in the ground system this time You prepare for the worst and hope for the best." Watch 50sA convoy of trucks carrying fresh supplies for communities north of Port Hedland has been allowed to travel through the flood-impacted Great Northern Highway. The stretch between Port Hedland and Broome has been closed for almost a week after it was damaged by Tropical Cyclone Zelia. Iron ore shipments leaving Port Hedland in December 2024 fell 2.3% from November to 47.6 million tonnes according to data released by Pilbara Ports Shipments of iron ore designated for China totalled 41.8 million tonnes in December (+1.8 million tonnes accounting for 87.7% of total shipments from Port Hedland Korea bound exports of iron ore fell over the month while volumes to Japan were higher over the same period Year-to-date volumes of iron ore leaving Port Hedland for the 12 months to December totalled 568.7 million tonnes Write to Dan Petrie at Mining.com.au  Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time State planners have rejected a $500 million bid to construct another sprawling accommodation hub for transient workers and tourists in the mining town of South Hedland led by CIMIC subsidiary Pacific Partnerships tavern and beer garden and recreation and wellness facilities The South Hedland development by CIMIC subsidiary Pacific Partnerships comprises more than 1650 rooms.Credit: Pacific Partnerships more than two-thirds of the rooms were set to serve as accommodation for fly-in with the remaining 514 rooms to sit within a six-storey hotel on Parola Crescent The mega-hub was earmarked for four amalgamated lots spanning 9.6 hectares on the western fringe of South Hedland’s urban area and less than a kilometre from its town centre The site is located south-west of Club Hamilton a mining and service worker accommodation hub run by mining giant Fortescue Metals Group and sits west of the ESS Gateway Village occupied by staff from Roy Hill and BHP Despite the proposal having been recommended for approval against the council’s wishes the regional development assessment panel ultimately rejected the application during a meeting on Wednesday Prominent local business owner Owen Hightower claimed the development appeared as if it hailed from the “Soviet era” and raised concerns about the impact of the population injection on existing road infrastructure The developer’s lawyers and consultants fielded several questions about the design location and impact of traffic and touted the growing demand for workforce accommodation but the responses were not enough to persuade the panel The development was tipped to be the most significant of its kind in the Town of Port Hedland which is home to the country’s largest bulk export port and known as Australia’s epicentre for iron ore export It is estimated up to $90 billion worth of iron ore made its way through the port last financial year with the commodity representing almost 99 per cent of all exports Its progression had hinged on the parties inking a tripartite lease that would see the state lease the land to the town which would then sublease the land to Pacific Partnerships for the next two decades The proposed lease agreement is currently being reviewed by the town’s lawyers but WAtoday understands the land tenure deal is expected to be finalised in early 2025 The bid comes just three years after the town endorsed a new planning policy identifying land for development to respond to fluctuations in the economy population change and the need for diverse housing in the nexus of Australia’s iron-ore industry The export hub was deemed to have created 3581 full-time direct and indirect jobs in Port Hedland.Credit: Bloomberg The lucrative salaries for work in the resources-rich region draw in thousands of workers from across the country each fortnight Port Hedland has a population of around 16,000 including the satellite town of South Hedland But it swells to more than 20,000 when you account for its 5000-strong contingent of fly-in Treasury estimates that more than 70 per cent of the Pilbara’s local economy is reliant on the mining industry and mining companies spend big on accommodation perks in the battle to attract and retain staff have been battling to persuade mining operators and workers to permanently relocate to the towns A social impact survey penned by consultancy Creating Communities for the Pacific Partnerships project pointed out the “delicate balance” in the proportion of residents and non-residents in the Town of Port Hedland and said it had long-term implications for its housing If increases to the transient workforce weren’t countered by residential population growth and economic diversification the survey warned there may be no reversing the reputational impact “Without the appropriate measures in place the Town of Port Hedland risks approaching a ‘tipping point’ at which the town becomes perceived as a FIFO hub rather than an attractive place to live permanently,” it found But it also concluded the constrained housing market coupled with the sky-high cost of materials and labour and the difficulties financing residential construction in the Pilbara meant the likelihood of increasing the housing supply was low and transient worker accommodation was needed Town of Port Hedland Planning and Economic Development manager Chaz Roberts told WAtoday the plan came after it uncovered the lengthy pipeline of industrial expansion projects in the region had not adequately considered the need for accommodation The site was selected for its proximity to the town centre and the likelihood of flow-on benefits for South Hedland businesses which Roberts said were not served by workforce hubs on isolated mining tenements But the town hasn’t abandoned its hopes of leveraging the burgeoning industry to grow its residential population Town officers have partnered with the Pilbara Development Commission to develop a local housing strategy with “residential first” listed as the town’s ultimate preference Roberts said the town had issued fewer than 40 approvals for residential dwellings in the past two years well below the 100 dwellings required annually to keep pace with the forecasted residential population growth He said the cost of construction in an economy dominated by the resources sector was a key factor as were the state government’s planning laws “The legislative framework for mining and planning that is set by the state government does not allow for a local government to stop workforce accommodation projects altogether,” he said “A local government can only influence the location social integration and time limit on a planning approval if the proposal is not located on a mining tenement or part of a State Agreement “There needs to be a suitable mix of workforce accommodation and housing to accommodate a growing economy and the town is working on all fronts to accommodate appropriate sustainable growth using the levers available to local government “A collaborative effort is required with governments and industry to ensure the local community’s needs are met in relation to housing in the coming years.” Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter. State planners have rejected a $500 million bid to construct another sprawling accommodation hub for transient workers and tourists in the mining town of South Hedland. The development application, led by CIMIC subsidiary Pacific Partnerships, comprised more than 1650 rooms, a kitchen and dining area, cafe, tavern and beer garden and recreation and wellness facilities. Under the proposal, more than two-thirds of the rooms were set to serve as accommodation for fly-in, fly-out mining, construction and maintenance workers, with the remaining 514 rooms to sit within a six-storey hotel on Parola Crescent. The mega-hub was earmarked for four amalgamated lots spanning 9.6 hectares on the western fringe of South Hedland\\u2019s urban area and less than a kilometre from its town centre, 1600 kilometres north of Perth. The site is located south-west of Club Hamilton, a mining and service worker accommodation hub run by mining giant Fortescue Metals Group, and sits west of the ESS Gateway Village occupied by staff from Roy Hill and BHP. Despite the proposal having been recommended for approval against the council\\u2019s wishes, the regional development assessment panel ultimately rejected the application during a meeting on Wednesday. Prominent local business owner Owen Hightower claimed the development appeared as if it hailed from the \\u201CSoviet era\\u201D and raised concerns about the impact of the population injection on existing road infrastructure. The developer\\u2019s lawyers and consultants fielded several questions about the design, location and impact of traffic and touted the growing demand for workforce accommodation, but the responses were not enough to persuade the panel. The development was tipped to be the most significant of its kind in the Town of Port Hedland, which is home to the country\\u2019s largest bulk export port and known as Australia\\u2019s epicentre for iron ore export. It is estimated up to $90 billion worth of iron ore made its way through the port last financial year, with the commodity representing almost 99 per cent of all exports. Its progression had hinged on the parties inking a tripartite lease that would see the state lease the land to the town, which would then sublease the land to Pacific Partnerships for the next two decades. The proposed lease agreement is currently being reviewed by the town\\u2019s lawyers, but WAtoday understands the land tenure deal is expected to be finalised in early 2025. The bid comes just three years after the town endorsed a new planning policy identifying land for development to respond to fluctuations in the economy, population change and the need for diverse housing in the nexus of Australia\\u2019s iron-ore industry. The lucrative salaries for work in the resources-rich region draw in thousands of workers from across the country each fortnight. Port Hedland has a population of around 16,000, including the satellite town of South Hedland. But it swells to more than 20,000 when you account for its 5000-strong contingent of fly-in, fly-out workers. Treasury estimates that more than 70 per cent of the Pilbara\\u2019s local economy is reliant on the mining industry, and mining companies spend big on accommodation perks in the battle to attract and retain staff. Meanwhile, local governments in the region, including the Town of Port Hedland, have been battling to persuade mining operators and workers to permanently relocate to the towns, but with limited success. A social impact survey penned by consultancy Creating Communities for the Pacific Partnerships project pointed out the \\u201Cdelicate balance\\u201D in the proportion of residents and non-residents in the Town of Port Hedland and said it had long-term implications for its housing, liveability, economy, and identity. If increases to the transient workforce weren\\u2019t countered by residential population growth and economic diversification, the survey warned there may be no reversing the reputational impact. \\u201CWithout the appropriate measures in place, the Town of Port Hedland risks approaching a \\u2018tipping point\\u2019 at which the town becomes perceived as a FIFO hub rather than an attractive place to live permanently,\\u201D it found. But it also concluded the constrained housing market, coupled with the sky-high cost of materials and labour and the difficulties financing residential construction in the Pilbara, meant the likelihood of increasing the housing supply was low and transient worker accommodation was needed. Town of Port Hedland Planning and Economic Development manager Chaz Roberts told WAtoday the plan came after it uncovered the lengthy pipeline of industrial expansion projects in the region had not adequately considered the need for accommodation. The site was selected for its proximity to the town centre and the likelihood of flow-on benefits for South Hedland businesses, which Roberts said were not served by workforce hubs on isolated mining tenements. But the town hasn\\u2019t abandoned its hopes of leveraging the burgeoning industry to grow its residential population. Town officers have partnered with the Pilbara Development Commission to develop a local housing strategy, with \\u201Cresidential first\\u201D listed as the town\\u2019s ultimate preference. Roberts said the town had issued fewer than 40 approvals for residential dwellings in the past two years, well below the 100 dwellings required annually to keep pace with the forecasted residential population growth. He said the cost of construction in an economy dominated by the resources sector was a key factor, as were the state government\\u2019s planning laws. \\u201CThe legislative framework for mining and planning that is set by the state government does not allow for a local government to stop workforce accommodation projects altogether,\\u201D he said. \\u201CA local government can only influence the location, design standard, social integration and time limit on a planning approval, if the proposal is not located on a mining tenement or part of a State Agreement. \\u201CThere needs to be a suitable mix of workforce accommodation and housing to accommodate a growing economy, and the town is working on all fronts to accommodate appropriate sustainable growth using the levers available to local government. \\u201CA collaborative effort is required with governments and industry to ensure the local community\\u2019s needs are met in relation to housing in the coming years.\\u201D Get the day\\u2019s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Watch 5m ABC Meteorologist Nate Byrne says the weather bureau is predicting Port Hedland will be strongly impacted by the Category Five Tropical Cyclone. Watch 4m 58sRemote towns in the Pilbara are under water, though some of the rivers are beginning recede. De Nul recently departed the Pilbara region of Western Australia after successful completion of dredging work in Port Hedland Jan De Nul team has created a deeper access channel dredged two berth pockets and deepened a swing basin in the Port The work included removal of approximately one million cubic meters of dredged sediment to ensure the safe and efficient berthing of vessels at the new Lumsden Point facility Dredged material was disposed of at a designated reclamation area within Lumsden in accordance with an approved Environmental Management Plan This content is available after accepting the cookies The Lumsden Point development will facilitate the export of battery metals such as lithium and copper concentrates the import of renewable energy infrastructure including wind turbines and blades as well as support the growth of direct shipping services to the Pilbara Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox Iron ore shipments leaving Port Hedland Western Australia in September rose 2% month on month to 48.8 million tonnes driven primarily by an increase in ore being shipped to China according to data released by Pilbara Ports today (15 October) Shipments of iron ore designated for China totalled 44.5 million tonnes in September which was a 3.7-million-tonne (9.1%) increase on August numbers accounting for 91.1% of total shipments from Port Hedland Exports of iron ore bound for Japan and Korea both fell over the month with total volumes to Korea 33.4% lower (1.196 million tonnes) while Japan witnessed a 35% (556,540 tonnes) decline Year-to-date volumes of iron ore leaving Port Hedland for the nine months to September totalled 426.8 million tonnes ASX ends winning streak as energy sector tumbles05 May, 2025 Military Metals discusses antimony exploration in Slovakia05 May, 2025 Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon05 May, 2025 Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths targets    05 May, 2025 Australia’s largest iron ore port, Port Hedland, has reopened, and Rio Tinto’s mining operations have resumed after Tropical Cyclone Zelia passed through Western Australia’s Pilbara region without causing major damage. Port Hedland, which handled nearly 760 million tonnes of commodities last fiscal year, was shut on Wednesday as the cyclone approached. Following thorough inspections of navigation aids, channels, and berths, the Pilbara Ports Authority confirmed the port’s safe reopening late Saturday. Rio Tinto reported that its port, rail, and mine operations are back online, with ship loading resuming at Cape Lambert and Dampier ports on 15 February. Despite the temporary closures, the company maintains its 2025 iron ore shipment guidance at 323 to 338 million tonnes. A Fortescue spokesperson noted minimal damage to its facilities, with some temporary disruptions. The company is working to resume normal activities as quickly and safely as possible. While the ports and mining operations have largely returned to normal, the cyclone brought heavy rainfall and wind gusts up to 290 km/h (180 mph), leading to flooding in some areas. Authorities continue to monitor the situation, especially in remote communities affected by the storm. Copyright Finance TV Pty Ltd All Rights Reserved Would you like to receive our daily news to your inbox? unleashing strong winds and heavy rain but a key mining hub has been spared the worst of the impact.Residents in Port Hedland have been battered by Cyclone Zelia but spared the worst of its fury This form of anxiety is not officially recognised But it's widely affecting young people 3 min readPublished 13 February 2025 11:55am ShareGet SBS News daily and direct to your InboxSign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.Your email address *Morning (Mon–Fri) with flood warnings following "exceptionally rare" rain.A supplied image shows damage caused by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Zelia in Port Hedland Source: AAP / Supplied by Tracey Heimberger 3 min readPublished 15 February 2025 11:06am The severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia has moved closer towards Port Hedland with several warning zones issued across the Western Australian coast.  Yesterday (13 February), the cyclone had formed off the coast and was expected to intensify as it made landfall as a category five storm, as Mining.com.au previously reported.  The category five system lies 115km north of Port Hedland and 220km northeast of Karratha.  The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) reports there are several warning zones issued from Wallal Downs to Dampier BOM says the cyclone is expected to bring “very destructive winds” up to 320km per hour in the middle of these areas tomorrow morning (15 February).  The Bureau of Meteorology says there is always some uncertainty associated with tropical cyclone forecasting and the grey zone indicates the range of likely tracks of the cyclone centre “Due to the uncertainty in the future movement the indicated winds will almost certainly extend to regions outside the rings on this map The extent of the warning and watch zones reflects this,” the Bureau reports “This product is designed for land-based communities; mariners should read the coastal waters and high seas warnings.” Western Australia is ranked in the top 10 in the share of the world’s total mineral and resources production Australia’s mining industry produces more than 50 different minerals from 134 projects across Western Australia.  authorities have closed operations ahead of Zelia’s arrival while Dampier Salt operations have also closed.  comprising two solar salt locations in Western Australia — Dampier and Port Hedland — is considered the largest exporter of seaborne salt harvesting millions of tonnes each year.  there are 53 pounds across 20,000 hectares and is operated by a 99% residential workforce.  Mining giant Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) says it is too early to say how long port and rail operations will be closed and what the impact will be.  and a rail network spanning nearly 2,000km and related infrastructure in the Pilbara region.  Zelia is the first cyclone of the season to make landfall following a series of storms bringing heavy rain to the Pilbara region of Western Australia Cyclone Sean damaged one of Rio Tinto’s port facilities.  a railcar dumper at the East Intercourse Island port facility which shipped 45 million tonnes of iron ore shipments in 2024 was flooded after the weather event passed the coast.  Rio Tinto is working to mitigate the impacts and will provide an update at its full year results on 19 February 2025 Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au    The State Government has engaged ADCO Constructions under an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) procurement process for the $15 million Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) suite at Hedland Health Campus The ECI process allows contractors to participate in a collaborative approach enabling early engagement of the builder to progress the design alongside project teams the suite - which is designed to house specialised MRI equipment - will include: The suite will be a standalone facility adjacent to existing diagnostic services provided by the Hedland Health Campus Medical Imaging Department The new facility is expected to provide more than 2,000 occasions of service to residents in South Hedland Brought to you by the Department of Health, Western Australia APA Group has finished the installation of all solar panels at the Port Hedland Solar Farm and Battery project – which will help power BHP’s port operations The scope of the project includes the construction of the 45MWAC Port Hedland Solar Photovoltaic (PV) generation facility and a 35MW/36.7MWh battery energy storage system which will supply renewable energy for large mining customers in the Pilbara region of Western Australia These new facilities will accompany the existing Port Hedland Power Station The Western Australian Government has committed funding support of $1.5 million for the BESS as part of its Clean Energy Future Fund The BESS replaces spinning reserve provided by the gas-fired power station with energy stored in the battery to provide instant support to the grid when needed Construction of the facilities commencement in 2023 and are works are expected to be completed by late 2024 As the dust settles from the 2025 Federal Election Energy is revisiting the Labor Party’s energy policies and election promises.. As the energy industry transforms under the influence of technological innovation professionals are challenged to keep up by adopting smarter.. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media We leave you this evening with the positive news that Zelia has weakened somewhat to a category 3 with winds near the centre now 150 km/h with gusts to 205 km/h There are no official damage reports yet as State Emergency Service volunteers wait out the Emergency Warning remaining for Pardoo to east of Whim Creek and inland to west of Marble Bar But residents are posting endless photos online of uprooted trees and flooded roads and we have an unconfirmed report of damage to a childcare centre At 3pm Pilbara Ports reopened the Ports of Dampier and Varanus Island “Pilbara Ports has undertaken inspections of navigation aids channels and berths and has confirmed safe operations can resume,” a spokesman said Zelia will now take a general southerly track overland and weaken Intense rainfall is expected near and to the east of the centre Very destructive gusts of up to 200 km/h are likely within 30 kilometres of the centre but Port Hedland lies outside this region Gusts near the centre will reduce this afternoon and tonight Destructive gusts of up to 160 km/h are occurring in coastal and adjacent inland areas between Port Hedland and Pardoo moving through inland areas near the track and possibly impacting Marble Bar for a period tonight Gales with damaging gusts to 120 km/h are occurring on the coast between Pardoo and Whim Creek including Port Hedland but should ease tonight Damaging gusts to 120 km/h should also extend to inland areas to Marble Bar later tonight and possibly to Nullagine and Munjina tomorrow morning Heavy to locally intense rainfall which may lead to flash flooding is occurring across coastal and adjacent inland areas between Wallal Downs and Whim Creek extending inland to Marble Bar and Nullagine overnight Flood watches and warnings are also current Check Bureau of Meteorology warnings for further details There is no longer a risk of a storm tide at Port Hedland Tides to the east of Port Hedland to Wallal Downs are likely to rise above the normal high tide mark We’ll be back tomorrow with details of the aftermath please exercise all possible caution and keep up to date on www.emergency.wa.gov.au Premier Roger Cook downplayed climate change links to the Category 5 Cyclone Zelia at his press conference this morning but the Bureau of Meteorology suggests otherwise When asked about the relationship between climate change and cyclones Cook answered: “cyclones happened during cyclone season.” “I’ve been on this planet for 59 years now and I can assure you that it’s cyclone season,” he said A short time later the Bureau’s general manager environmental prediction services Matthew Collopy said there was evidence that climate change was impacting cyclone intensity thanks to the warming of the atmosphere and oceans “The early indications are that there is not a big impact on the frequency but there is a potential impact on intensity,” he said “So there is potentially a higher chance of seeing high category cyclones because of those high temperatures both the in the water as well as the atmosphere.“ Climate Analytics CEO and lead author of previous Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports Bill Hare said global warming was driving an increase in the number of the most intense tropical cyclones and increasing their intensity cover a larger area and spin up a lot faster,” he said “If human-induced warming continues because fossil fuels are not phased out duration and extent will continue accelerating until much of the tropical Indian Ocean is in an almost permanent marine heatwave “This will only increase the frequency of these life-threatening extreme weather disasters.” TC Zelia has been downgraded to a Category 4 cyclone with winds near the centre now 175km/h with gusts to 250km/h It made landfall at 12.30pm WST near De Grey River mouth northeast of Port Hedland and will continue to weaken An emergency warning remains for the region surrounding Port Hedland with the community instructed to stay indoors and in the strongest part of their building The streets of Port Hedland have been abandoned as residents barricade themselves inside from Cyclone Zelia Nine News Perth reporter Sarah Smith is on the ground as the category 5 cyclone moves through “We’re following the rules and staying indoors,” she said Flooding in the area.Credit: Candid Captures by AJ Downes “Our crew has gaffer tapped the doors and put towels at the bottom so no water gets in – helpful advice from our cameramen that have been through cyclones before.” Smith reported winds have increased since the morning and heavy rain had remained constant “We spoke with one person on Zoom who had built a mattress fort for the kids “People are just nervous that it is a category five but they’re saying they’ve done all they can to prepare.” Videos posted to TikTok show bent over palm trees with many trees already ripped from the ground some residents have posted videos to the streaming platform showing themselves outside in treacherous conditions and jumping in pools the destructive core of Tropical Cyclone Zelia is currently crossing the coast to the east of Port Hedland the centre of the category 5 system was around 65 kilometers to the north east of Port Hedland the cyclone was bringing destructive wind gusts of up to 290km/h The Bureau of Meteorology’s General Manager Environmental Prediction Services Matthew Collopy said Port Headland was not expected to be impacted by the eye of the system but said damaging wind gusts were still likely into the afternoon and a dangerous storm surge possible on the eastern side of the tropical cyclone track which could cause flash flooding “This system is producing very heavy rainfall with rainfall totals expected to be two to 300mm over the next three to four hours with three day totals up to 500mm possible,” he said “We have already recorded totals over 300mm and this heavy rainfall falling on already wet catchments is likely to result in Flash and riverine flooding.” Flood Watch and warning areas extend from the Gascoyne and through the Pilbara regions with flood warnings already current for the De Grey and Pilbara coastal rivers The system is expected to weaken and winds will ease as the system continues to move south through the interior towards Tom Price and Paraburdoo “This is a very dangerous system that will cause those significant impacts,” he said He urged those in the Pilbara to remain informed and heed the latest advice on both the tropical cyclone and flood warnings from BOM and emergency WA The focus of emergency services has now shifted to dealing with the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Zelia as the system crosses the coast and makes landfall east of Port Hedland bringing 290km/h winds and more than 500mm of rain across the Pilbara Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said the cyclone was tracking further east than initially anticipated sparing the regional town of Port Hedland from the brunt of the storm But Klemm urged communities impacted by the Category 5 system not to become complacent warning hazards would not ease as the area continues to be battered by rainfall “We’re ready to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone but it is critical impacted communities don’t get complacent,” he said “The conditions after a cyclone can be just as dangerous as the cyclone itself it is extremely important that people remain indoors until the warning change on emergency WA.” Crews have responded to 37 calls for assistance over the past two days including a truck driver whose vehicle had been washed off a bridge People have been asked to desist from walking and driving around Port Hedland as a cyclone bears down upon them The Hedland State Emergency Service wrote online this morning a blunt warning after seeing people driving and walking around town the service stations are closed … don’t do it With the cyclone just hours away you risk your life doing these things Multiple other residents whiling away their emergency lockdown on Facebook have reported and posted videos of people walking past their homes “So many idiots driving around in Port,” wrote one stop driving around ya bloody knobheads!” said another Some have blamed the new system – in which as of last July Western Australia has adopted the Australian Warning System for bushfire This means instead of emergency services using the old Blue Alert Red Alert and All Clear warning system for cyclones they use the same three warning levels as for bushfires: Advice with their corresponding colours of yellow “Everyone knew on a Red Alert … you were confined to your home and not allowed to leave until the all clear when the police would again go around town with their sirens going again,” one commenter wrote “Unlike new system where nobody knows what’s going on.“We reckon if you can’t work out that warning system you might just be a “bloody knobhead.” A media conference with Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm and the Bureau of Meteorology’s General Manager Environmental Prediction Services Matthew Collopy was held to provide an update on the cyclone Despite its regular population of 16,000 there are currently only 124 people sheltered in the Port Hedland evacuation centre at the JD Hardie Youth and Community Hub Speaking from Geraldton in WA’s Mid West Cook said there was a further 43 people at the evacuation centre in Karratha which will now be spared the full brunt of TC Zelia after she began tracking east Cook said Zelia was “really dangerous and big and it’s one which is going to threaten the communities right across the Pilbara in particular.” Western Australia Premier Roger Cook is preparing for the aftermath “Our hearts go out to the people in Port Hedland today they’ve been in lockdown since 6.30 last night under emergency cyclone warning rating,” he said and it’s one which is going to have a significant impact on the communities throughout the Pilbara.” Cook said emergency response teams were stationed 720 kilometres south west in Carnarvon and they were ready to fly in to Port Hedland after Zelia passes through He said he had already had conversations with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about deploying the defence force “We particularly rely on the ADF for heavy haulage heavy lift equipment to make sure that we can get that into Port Hedland and other towns as needed So those conversations have already taken place,” he said To the latest update from the Bureau of Meteorology now with a warning that Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is about to make landfall near DeGrey River mouth east of Port Hedland Port Hedland looks likely to avoid the very destructive core of the cyclone BOM has upgraded the wind gusts expected at the core of Tropical Cyclone Zelia and narrowed the central area of impact with the cyclone set to make land fall just east of Port Hedland The forecast has been shifting back and forth as the cyclone moves off the coast but the current analysis has Zelia continuing to move south and make landfall at 4pm AWST The bureau is confident the cyclone is now most likely to the east of Port Hedland with wind gusts at its core having since been upgraded to 290km/h BOM said the area east of Port Hedland would bear the brunt of the cyclone but said the broader area of impact was expected to span 400 kilometres along the coast between Wallal Downs and Roebourne and experience wind gusts between 120-160km/h The most intense impacts are expected to be felt at the time of crossing with bands of showers and thunderstorms wrapping around the cyclone and bringing destructive winds rain and flooding and storm tides and inundation BOM warned wind gusts at the core of the cyclone were likely to lead to the destruction of trees and permanent structures The system is likely to move south through the Pilbara and into the Gascoyne over the coming days continuing to lose intensity as it reaches Tom Price but bringing significant rain \\u201CPilbara Ports has undertaken inspections of navigation aids channels and berths and has confirmed safe operations can resume,\\u201D a spokesman said We\\u2019ll be back tomorrow with details of the aftermath Cook answered: \\u201Ccyclones happened during cyclone season.\\u201D \\u201CI\\u2019ve been on this planet for 59 years now and I can assure you that it\\u2019s cyclone season,\\u201D he said cyclones happen during cyclone season.\\u201D A short time later the Bureau\\u2019s general manager environmental prediction services Matthew Collopy said there was evidence that climate change was impacting cyclone intensity thanks to the warming of the atmosphere and oceans \\u201CThe early indications are that there is not a big impact on the frequency but there is a potential impact on intensity,\\u201D he said \\u201CSo there is potentially a higher chance of seeing high category cyclones because of those high temperatures both the in the water as well as the atmosphere.\\u201C Climate Analytics CEO and lead author of previous reports Bill Hare said global warming was driving an increase in the number of the most intense tropical cyclones and increasing their intensity cover a larger area and spin up a lot faster,\\u201D he said \\u201CIf human-induced warming continues because fossil fuels are not phased out \\u201CThis will only increase the frequency of these life-threatening extreme weather disasters.\\u201D \\u201CWe\\u2019re following the rules and staying indoors,\\u201D she said \\u201COur crew has gaffer tapped the doors and put towels at the bottom so no water gets in \\u2013 helpful advice from our cameramen that have been through cyclones before.\\u201D \\u201CWe spoke with one person on Zoom who had built a mattress fort for the kids they have food and chargers,\\u201D she said \\u201CPeople are just nervous that it is a category five but they\\u2019re saying they\\u2019ve done all they can to prepare.\\u201D The Bureau of Meteorology\\u2019s General Manager Environmental Prediction Services Matthew Collopy said Port Headland was not expected to be impacted by the eye of the system \\u201CThis system is producing very heavy rainfall with three day totals up to 500mm possible,\\u201D he said \\u201CWe have already recorded totals over 300mm and this heavy rainfall falling on already wet catchments is likely to result in Flash and riverine flooding.\\u201D \\u201CThis is a very dangerous system that will cause those significant impacts,\\u201D he said \\u201CWe\\u2019re ready to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone but it is critical impacted communities don\\u2019t get complacent,\\u201D he said \\u201CThe conditions after a cyclone can be just as dangerous as the cyclone itself it is extremely important that people remain indoors until the warning change on emergency WA.\\u201D the service stations are closed \\u2026 don\\u2019t do it \\u201CSo many idiots driving around in Port,\\u201D wrote one stop driving around ya bloody knobheads!\\u201D said another Some have blamed the new system \\u2013 in which as of last July \\u201CEveryone knew on a Red Alert \\u2026 you were confined to your home and not allowed to leave until the all clear when the police would again go around town with their sirens going again,\\u201D one commenter wrote \\u201CUnlike new system where nobody knows what\\u2019s going on.\\u201CWe reckon if you can\\u2019t work out that warning system you might just be a \\u201Cbloody knobhead.\\u201D A media conference with Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm and the Bureau of Meteorology\\u2019s General Manager Environmental Prediction Services Matthew Collopy was held to provide an update on the cyclone Speaking from Geraldton in WA\\u2019s Mid West Cook said there was a further 43 people at the evacuation centre in Karratha Cook said Zelia was \\u201Creally dangerous and big and it\\u2019s one which is going to threaten the communities right across the Pilbara in particular.\\u201D \\u201COur hearts go out to the people in Port Hedland today they\\u2019ve been in lockdown since 6.30 last night under emergency cyclone warning rating,\\u201D he said and it\\u2019s one which is going to have a significant impact on the communities throughout the Pilbara.\\u201D \\u201CWe particularly rely on the ADF for heavy haulage So those conversations have already taken place,\\u201D he said Climate Analytics CEO and lead author of previous Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports Bill Hare said global warming was driving an increase in the number of the most intense tropical cyclones and increasing their intensity. “They will become more intense, cover a larger area and spin up a lot faster,” he said. “If human-induced warming continues because fossil fuels are not phased out, marine heat wave intensity, duration and extent will continue accelerating until much of the tropical Indian Ocean is in an almost permanent marine heatwave. TC Zelia has been downgraded to a Category 4 cyclone, with winds near the centre now 175km/h with gusts to 250km/h. It made landfall at 12.30pm WST near De Grey River mouth, northeast of Port Hedland and will continue to weaken. An emergency warning remains for the region surrounding Port Hedland with the community instructed to stay indoors and in the strongest part of their building. The streets of Port Hedland have been abandoned as residents barricade themselves inside from Cyclone Zelia. Nine News Perth reporter Sarah Smith is on the ground as the category 5 cyclone moves through. “We’re following the rules and staying indoors,” she said. Smith reported winds have increased since the morning and heavy rain had remained constant. “We spoke with one person on Zoom who had built a mattress fort for the kids, they have food and chargers,” she said. Videos posted to TikTok show bent over palm trees with many trees already ripped from the ground. Not everyone is following the advice, some residents have posted videos to the streaming platform showing themselves outside in treacherous conditions and jumping in pools. In breaking news, the destructive core of Tropical Cyclone Zelia is currently crossing the coast to the east of Port Hedland. At midday, the centre of the category 5 system was around 65 kilometers to the north east of Port Hedland, and moving south east around 11km/h. At its core, the cyclone was bringing destructive wind gusts of up to 290km/h, intense rainfall and flooding. The Bureau of Meteorology’s General Manager Environmental Prediction Services Matthew Collopy said Port Headland was not expected to be impacted by the eye of the system, but said damaging wind gusts were still likely into the afternoon and a dangerous storm surge possible on the eastern side of the tropical cyclone track which could cause flash flooding. “This system is producing very heavy rainfall, with rainfall totals expected to be two to 300mm over the next three to four hours, with three day totals up to 500mm possible,” he said. “We have already recorded totals over 300mm, and this heavy rainfall falling on already wet catchments is likely to result in Flash and riverine flooding.” Flood Watch and warning areas extend from the Gascoyne and through the Pilbara regions, with flood warnings already current for the De Grey and Pilbara coastal rivers. The system is expected to weaken and winds will ease as the system continues to move south through the interior towards Tom Price and Paraburdoo. “This is a very dangerous system that will cause those significant impacts,” he said. He urged those in the Pilbara to remain informed and heed the latest advice on both the tropical cyclone and flood warnings from BOM and emergency WA. The focus of emergency services has now shifted to dealing with the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Zelia as the system crosses the coast and makes landfall east of Port Hedland, bringing 290km/h winds and more than 500mm of rain across the Pilbara. During a press conference this afternoon, Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said the cyclone was tracking further east than initially anticipated, sparing the regional town of Port Hedland from the brunt of the storm. But Klemm urged communities impacted by the Category 5 system not to become complacent, warning hazards would not ease as the area continues to be battered by rainfall. “We’re ready to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone, but it is critical impacted communities don’t get complacent,” he said. “The conditions after a cyclone can be just as dangerous as the cyclone itself, including damaged buildings, fallen power lines and debris, it is extremely important that people remain indoors until the warning change on emergency WA.” Crews have responded to 37 calls for assistance over the past two days, including a truck driver whose vehicle had been washed off a bridge. People have been asked to desist from walking and driving around Port Hedland as a cyclone bears down upon them. The Hedland State Emergency Service wrote online this morning a blunt warning after seeing people driving and walking around town. “Do not drive on emergency warning. The shops are closed, the service stations are closed … don’t do it. With the cyclone just hours away you risk your life doing these things. Don’t do it to your family.” Multiple other residents whiling away their emergency lockdown on Facebook have reported and posted videos of people walking past their homes. “So many idiots driving around in Port,” wrote one. “Go home.” “Seriously, stop driving around ya bloody knobheads!” said another. Some have blamed the new system – in which as of last July, Western Australia has adopted the Australian Warning System for bushfire, cyclone, flood and storm warnings. This means instead of emergency services using the old Blue Alert, Yellow Alert, Red Alert and All Clear warning system for cyclones, they use the same three warning levels as for bushfires: Advice, Watch and Act and Emergency Warning, with their corresponding colours of yellow, orange and red. “Everyone knew on a Red Alert … you were confined to your home and not allowed to leave until the all clear, when the police would again go around town with their sirens going again,” one commenter wrote. A media conference with Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm and the Bureau of Meteorology’s General Manager Environmental Prediction Services Matthew Collopy was held to provide an update on the cyclone. Watch it back here: Despite its regular population of 16,000 there are currently only 124 people sheltered in the Port Hedland evacuation centre at the JD Hardie Youth and Community Hub, according to Premier Roger Cook. Speaking from Geraldton in WA’s Mid West Cook said there was a further 43 people at the evacuation centre in Karratha, which will now be spared the full brunt of TC Zelia after she began tracking east. Western Australia Premier Roger Cook is preparing for the aftermath. Credit: AAP “Our hearts go out to the people in Port Hedland today, they’ve been in lockdown since 6.30 last night, under emergency cyclone warning rating,” he said. “This is a serious storm, and it’s one which is going to have a significant impact on the communities throughout the Pilbara.” Cook said emergency response teams were stationed 720 kilometres south west in Carnarvon and they were ready to fly in to Port Hedland after Zelia passes through. He said he had already had conversations with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about deploying the defence force. “We particularly rely on the ADF for heavy haulage, heavy lift equipment to make sure that we can get that into Port Hedland and other towns as needed. So those conversations have already taken place,” he said. To the latest update from the Bureau of Meteorology now, with a warning that Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is about to make landfall near DeGrey River mouth east of Port Hedland. Port Hedland looks likely to avoid the very destructive core of the cyclone, BOM says. BOM has upgraded the wind gusts expected at the core of Tropical Cyclone Zelia and narrowed the central area of impact, with the cyclone set to make land fall just east of Port Hedland. The forecast has been shifting back and forth as the cyclone moves off the coast, but the current analysis has Zelia continuing to move south and make landfall at 4pm AWST. The bureau is confident the cyclone is now most likely to the east of Port Hedland, with wind gusts at its core having since been upgraded to 290km/h. BOM said the area east of Port Hedland would bear the brunt of the cyclone, but said the broader area of impact was expected to span 400 kilometres along the coast between Wallal Downs and Roebourne and experience wind gusts between 120-160km/h. The most intense impacts are expected to be felt at the time of crossing, with bands of showers and thunderstorms wrapping around the cyclone and bringing destructive winds, rain and flooding and storm tides and inundation. BOM warned wind gusts at the core of the cyclone were likely to lead to the destruction of trees and permanent structures. The system is likely to move south through the Pilbara and into the Gascoyne over the coming days, continuing to lose intensity as it reaches Tom Price but bringing significant rain. Thanks for following along today. We leave you this evening with the positive news that Zelia has weakened somewhat to a category 3, with winds near the centre now 150 km/h with gusts to 205 km/h. There are no official damage reports yet as State Emergency Service volunteers wait out the Emergency Warning remaining for Pardoo to east of Whim Creek and inland to west of Marble Bar. But residents are posting endless photos online of uprooted trees and flooded roads, and we have an unconfirmed report of damage to a childcare centre. At 3pm Pilbara Ports reopened the Ports of Dampier and Varanus Island. \\u201CPilbara Ports has undertaken inspections of navigation aids, channels and berths and has confirmed safe operations can resume,\\u201D a spokesman said. Zelia will now take a general southerly track overland and weaken, the Bureau of Meteorology reports. Intense rainfall is expected near and to the east of the centre. Very destructive gusts of up to 200 km/h are likely within 30 kilometres of the centre but Port Hedland lies outside this region. Gusts near the centre will reduce this afternoon and tonight. Destructive gusts of up to 160 km/h are occurring in coastal and adjacent inland areas between Port Hedland and Pardoo, moving through inland areas near the track and possibly impacting Marble Bar for a period tonight. Gales with damaging gusts to 120 km/h are occurring on the coast between Pardoo and Whim Creek, including Port Hedland but should ease tonight. Damaging gusts to 120 km/h should also extend to inland areas to Marble Bar later tonight and possibly to Nullagine and Munjina tomorrow morning. Heavy to locally intense rainfall which may lead to flash flooding is occurring across coastal and adjacent inland areas between Wallal Downs and Whim Creek, extending inland to Marble Bar and Nullagine overnight. Flood watches and warnings are also current. Check Bureau of Meteorology warnings for further details. There is no longer a risk of a storm tide at Port Hedland. Tides to the east of Port Hedland to Wallal Downs are likely to rise above the normal high tide mark. We\\u2019ll be back tomorrow with details of the aftermath, and if you\\u2019re in Port Hedland, please exercise all possible caution and keep up to date on www.emergency.wa.gov.au. Premier Roger Cook downplayed climate change links to the Category 5 Cyclone Zelia at his press conference this morning but the Bureau of Meteorology suggests otherwise. When asked about the relationship between climate change and cyclones, Cook answered: \\u201Ccyclones happened during cyclone season.\\u201D \\u201CI\\u2019ve been on this planet for 59 years now, and in this state for 59 years, and I can assure you that it\\u2019s cyclone season,\\u201D he said. \\u201CSo understand that, folks, cyclones happen during cyclone season.\\u201D A short time later the Bureau\\u2019s general manager environmental prediction services Matthew Collopy said there was evidence that climate change was impacting cyclone intensity thanks to the warming of the atmosphere and oceans. \\u201CThe early indications are that there is not a big impact on the frequency, but there is a potential impact on intensity,\\u201D he said. Climate Analytics CEO and lead author of previous reports Bill Hare said global warming was driving an increase in the number of the most intense tropical cyclones and increasing their intensity. \\u201CThey will become more intense, cover a larger area and spin up a lot faster,\\u201D he said. \\u201CIf human-induced warming continues because fossil fuels are not phased out, marine heat wave intensity, duration and extent will continue accelerating until much of the tropical Indian Ocean is in an almost permanent marine heatwave. \\u201CWe\\u2019re following the rules and staying indoors,\\u201D she said. \\u201CWe spoke with one person on Zoom who had built a mattress fort for the kids, they have food and chargers,\\u201D she said. The Bureau of Meteorology\\u2019s General Manager Environmental Prediction Services Matthew Collopy said Port Headland was not expected to be impacted by the eye of the system, but said damaging wind gusts were still likely into the afternoon and a dangerous storm surge possible on the eastern side of the tropical cyclone track which could cause flash flooding. \\u201CThis system is producing very heavy rainfall, with rainfall totals expected to be two to 300mm over the next three to four hours, with three day totals up to 500mm possible,\\u201D he said. \\u201CWe have already recorded totals over 300mm, and this heavy rainfall falling on already wet catchments is likely to result in Flash and riverine flooding.\\u201D \\u201CThis is a very dangerous system that will cause those significant impacts,\\u201D he said. \\u201CWe\\u2019re ready to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone, but it is critical impacted communities don\\u2019t get complacent,\\u201D he said. \\u201CThe conditions after a cyclone can be just as dangerous as the cyclone itself, including damaged buildings, fallen power lines and debris, it is extremely important that people remain indoors until the warning change on emergency WA.\\u201D \\u201CDo not drive on emergency warning. The shops are closed, the service stations are closed \\u2026 don\\u2019t do it. With the cyclone just hours away you risk your life doing these things. Don\\u2019t do it to your family.\\u201D \\u201CSo many idiots driving around in Port,\\u201D wrote one. \\u201CGo home.\\u201D \\u201CSeriously, stop driving around ya bloody knobheads!\\u201D said another. Some have blamed the new system \\u2013 in which as of last July, Western Australia has adopted the Australian Warning System for bushfire, cyclone, flood and storm warnings. \\u201CEveryone knew on a Red Alert \\u2026 you were confined to your home and not allowed to leave until the all clear, when the police would again go around town with their sirens going again,\\u201D one commenter wrote. A media conference with Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm and the Bureau of Meteorology\\u2019s General Manager Environmental Prediction Services Matthew Collopy was held to provide an update on the cyclone. Watch it back here: Speaking from Geraldton in WA\\u2019s Mid West Cook said there was a further 43 people at the evacuation centre in Karratha, which will now be spared the full brunt of TC Zelia after she began tracking east. \\u201COur hearts go out to the people in Port Hedland today, they\\u2019ve been in lockdown since 6.30 last night, under emergency cyclone warning rating,\\u201D he said. \\u201CThis is a serious storm, and it\\u2019s one which is going to have a significant impact on the communities throughout the Pilbara.\\u201D \\u201CWe particularly rely on the ADF for heavy haulage, heavy lift equipment to make sure that we can get that into Port Hedland and other towns as needed. So those conversations have already taken place,\\u201D he said. All articles from our websiteThe digital version of This Week's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other agricultural news sites in your areaContinueWeather experts say the path of this slow-moving but severe weather system has been difficult to predict in recent days as has moved east of Port Hedland and not west as earlier thought TC Zelia is also coming ashore a few hours earlier than expected but still as a category five cyclone with a new ETA of around 4pm Satellite image from 11am (WA time) as TC Zelia's eye has clearly re-developed within a few hours of crossing the Pilbara coast east of Port Hedland Picture from BOM.Areas impacted according to the Bureau of Meteorology will be Wallal Downs to Roebourne including Port Hedland and extending inland to Marble Bar Tom Price and Paraburdoo but not including Roebourne Sustained winds near the centre of the cyclone are 205kmh with wind gusts to 285kmh considered small in size by weather experts It is expected to make landfall this afternoon near or to the east of Port Hedland BOM says TC Zelia will then take a general southerly track overland and gradually weaken Intense rainfall is expected near and to the east of the centre of the cyclone as it crosses the coast While Pilbara communities have been sandbagging and preparing for the cyclone's arrival so have some of the major companies who operate in the area A number of district roads have been closed and evacuation centres established The Pilbara region in TC Zelia's destructive path has significant iron ore export assets such as ports Latest tracking map of TC Zelia at 11am WA-time Graphic from BOMRio Tinto said it has been prioritising the safety of its people as the tropical cyclone heads toward the Pilbara region "Cape Lambert and Dampier Ports have been cleared and there are no longer any ships or trains operating at our ports," a Rio Tinto spokesman said "Dampier Salt operations at Port Hedland and Dampier are also closed "It is too early to say how long port and rail operations will be closed and what the impact will be." such as Pardoo on the coast further north of Port Hedland recorded 230mm of rain yesterday A cyclone emergency warning is in place for Pardoo Roadhouse to Whim Creek and inland to west of Marble Bar WA's Fire and Emergency Services Department is warning residents "this a potentially life-threatening weather event" TC Zelia has spent days gathering even more power from a warm ocean as it remained poised offshore and left meteorologists guessing when it finally turn and head into the coast Port Hedland has a population of 15,298 and Karratha a centre of iron ore and natural gas mining TC Zelia was born in a convective cloud cluster in the near equatorial trough to the southwest of Sumatra ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner. Newsletters & AlertsView allAs it happens Today's top stories curated by our news team. Our twice weekly wrap of the latest in rural property sales. Our twice weekly wrap of the big news in the red meat sector. Industry news from Australia's dairy sector. The week's top stories curated by our news team. Watch 1m 51sThe Severe Tropical Cyclone has strengthened to a category five storm, with wind speeds in excess of 280km/h a possibility. Watch 19sSevere Tropical Cyclone Zelia has strengthened to a category five system and is expected to make landfall on Friday evening. Watch 15sThese clips show conditions in Port Hedland as Tropical Cyclone Zelia passed over the town as a category four system.