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) 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. 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 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." 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 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 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) Tropical Cyclone Zelia will soon make landfall in Western Australia’s north prompting warnings of ‘severe’ impacts from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) “Severe Tropical cyclone Zelia is rapidly intensifying as it moves slowly west, just off the Pilbara coast,” the BOM said Zelia is expected to make landfall by tomorrow with the BOM warning the cyclone could reach a Category Five the strongest cyclone able to form on Earth Rainfall in the Pilbara is expected to reach in excess of 500mm with flooding a concern for inland communities Pilbara ports Dampier and Varanus Island have also shut down as the cyclone intensifies with winds over 260km per hour likely to batter the coast Port Hedland was closed just last month as Tropical Cyclone Sean passed the Pilbara coast The port is touted to be world’s largest bulk export port 66.2 million tonnes of exports passed through Port Hedland’s docks An evacuation centre has been opened at JD Hardie Youth and Community Hub in South Hedland with Emergency WA warning residents in warning zones to prepare “There is a possible threat to lives and homes, you need to prepare as flooding is forecast,” Emergency WA said in a Facebook post widespread flooding with fast flowing water and water levels will rise quickly.” The De Grey River catchment has been put on high alert as the Great Northern Highway Ripon Hills Road and Marble Bar Road were closed from 10:30am today Subscribe to Safe to Work for the safety news that matters most to the Australian mining industry 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 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. 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 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 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 We like to bang on about how great (or rather OK!) Perth is – but our greatness doesn’t just happen out of nowhere We’re partnering up with Town Team Movement so we can shine a light on some of the people who help make our communities so unique and just a few of the excellent initiatives they’re working on This week, we’re featuring Karli Beresford, one of the brains behind Activate South Hedland A Town Team Builder characterised your town team as fostering small actions with significant outcomes cost-effective activities since our team members lead busy lives we managed about nine activations over eight months considering the warmer climate of Port Hedland makes summer events challenging such as yoga and painting sessions for plant pots or pen cups aim to bring people together without the scale of larger events commonly seen in other Town Teams While we aspire to grow towards larger events eventually we believe these smaller gatherings still create meaningful connections and why did you select yoga as an activity provides a consistent activity that fosters overall support and can be conducted in public spaces like parks making it a natural choice for our community gatherings Could you share a bit about your background and activities outside of your involvement with the Town Team I work as a strategic planner with an architecture background I volunteer with the SES and enjoy activities like camping How do you perceive your role in contributing to the Town Team constantly proposing initiatives to enhance South Hedland’s vibrancy I also take charge of organising events and handling administrative tasks behind the scenes Has your background as a strategic planner influenced your approach within the Town Team While my professional work involves formal planning with local government my involvement with the Town Team allows for more creative It’s been mentioned that your Town Team fosters a sense of belonging and community South Hedland experiences a high turnover of residents Our events provide a platform for people to engage We also conduct surveys to gauge community pride highlighting positive aspects of South Hedland We received approximately 150 responses during our last survey conducted at a Community Garden plant sale and how do you perceive interest in Town Teams especially given the transient nature of our community Increasing our visibility will attract more participants We aim to overcome any existing preconceptions about Town Teams through proactive engagement How long have you been involved with the Town Team I’ve been involved with the Town Team for nearly two years now It all began with an initiative from the local government as part of the South Hedland Place plan eager to contribute to our community’s development What do you believe South Hedland requires and how do you contribute to fulfilling those needs South Hedland could benefit from increased vibrancy to encourage residents to spend leisure time locally we’re exploring initiatives like buskers and beautification projects to address these needs Your team has demonstrated the potential for small actions to activate a town and foster community belonging Do you have any advice for those struggling to initiate similar efforts Even small-scale events can make a difference By focusing on smaller activities that require minimal resources you can celebrate achievements regardless of turnout What personally motivates you to be part of the Town Team I’m passionate about contributing to my community and relish the opportunity to engage with like-minded individuals Being part of the Town Team allows me to blend my interests in urban design and community involvement Where do you envision the Activate South Hedland Town Team in the next five years with a continued focus on smaller activities complemented by occasional larger events Building brand recognition and community engagement will be key objectives fostering active participation in our initiatives “Movement creates movement” resonates with me This principle underscores the importance of taking small steps to initiate change Want to get involved and become a doer in your own community? Head to the Town Team Movement website to learn more Photography and interview by Ophélie Barbeau Ground has been broken on the Lumsden Point Access Road and Pinga Street intersection upgrades to support the Pilbara Hydrogen Hub at Port Hedland on the north coast of Western Australia The road and intersection work at Lumsden Point will support the import of wind turbine and renewable energy components into the Pilbara as well as the export of battery metals such as lithium and copper concentrates To complement the Lumsden Point development a new grade-separated rotary interchange will be constructed at the current intersection of Great Northern Highway and Pinga Street with four lanes over a round underpass will connect Pinga Street to the new Lumsden Point Access Road New ramps will allow access on and off the Great Northern Highway with new turning pockets to be built at the Lumsden Point Access Road The new intersection will improve traffic and also facilitate the safe movement of oversize vehicles out of Lumsden Point Lumsden Point provides an alternative import facility to Fremantle Substantial progress has already been made on the new Lumsden Point Port development which includes new shipping berths and a substantial lay-down area for imported equipment The Australian Government has committed $565 million in grant funding to support common user port upgrades at Port Hedland and Dampier in the Pilbara the Australian and WA Governments finalised a $140 million agreement to build a hydrogen hub in the Pilbara The combined $140 million investment ($70 million each from the Australian and WA Governments) will help build infrastructure to support hydrogen exports as well as fund activities for a Clean Energy Training and Research Institute The Pilbara is a globally recognised resources hub and demand for renewable energy “The work being done now will ensure that the region that powers the nation’s economy can be powered by renewable energy,” said Western Australian Premier Roger Cook Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said the Pilbara Hydrogen Hub would help establish Australia’s future as a renewable energy superpower “Today’s announcement brings Western Australia and the Pilbara region closer to realising its future as a world-class producer and exporter of clean energy and products capitalising on the huge opportunities that come from the global shift to net zero,” he said in a statement Australian digital freight and logistics platform has announced the appointment of Dean Newman as its new Chief Operating Officer.. Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) has appointed a seasoned engineer to head-up the product development department The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has announced the winners of the 2025 National Trucking Industry Awards Storm quickly weakened after making landfall east of Port Hedland with strongest parts hitting remote areas Properties have been damaged and large trees uprooted by an ex-tropical cyclone still wreaking havoc in Western Australia with record rainfall triggering significant flooding from which people are being evacuated by helicopter Tropical Cyclone Zelia made landfall in the north-west of Western Australia on Friday and was quickly weakened as it crossed the coast east of Port Hedland Surrounding areas suffered property damage when winds of up to 120km/h struck but the strongest parts of the system – which was at category four when it made landfall – hit remote areas a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology Satellite view of Zelia as it hit the Western Australia coast Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025“In many places 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 A record 500mm of rain fell in just three days in parts of the Pilbara with 278mm recorded at Upper North Pole in just 18 hours Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email “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” This article includes content provided by Facebook We ask for your permission before anything is loaded as they may be using cookies and other technologies said there were no reports of injury or loss of life “Some of our pastoral stations have been hit hard,” he said on Saturday adding that two remote Aboriginal communities in the Pilbara were at significant risk of flooding The Department of Fire and Emergency Services’ commissioner said helicopters had been deployed to relocate 63 people from Warralong with 15 people already arriving in Port Hedland as water levels continue to rise “An assessment was made to prioritise people with medical requirements the elderly and people with mobility issues in the first instance,” he said A spokesperson told reporters it would be “days if not weeks with this flooding event” had earlier told ABC News Breakfast that the region “really dodged a bullet” when the cyclone moved east taking destructive winds away from the regional centre despite earlier fears it would take a direct hit “[There has been] literally hundreds and hundreds of trees that have been uprooted,” he said Free daily newsletterOur Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters [The ex-tropical cyclone] is still dancing around out there and dropping a lot of rain as she goes.” 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 north-west recovered Cook said emergency services had responded to 60 calls for assistance and safety inspections were under way at Port Hedland “This system was big and unpredictable and the outcome could have been a lot worse,” the premier said “The system has dumped an enormous amount of rain on the Pilbara and will lead to ongoing flooding in the coming days driving in flood waters is incredibly dangerous A severe weather warning remains for the parts of Pilbara North Interior and South Interior districts with flood watches and flood warnings across the region “Rainfall totals of up to 120mm 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.” BoM meteorologists say the flooding will continue over the weekend. Photograph: Tracey Heimberger/AAPMore than 10,000 sandbags have been handed out in the Pilbara to help people prepare their properties for flooding, the Dfes said. Zelia approached the Western Australian coast with winds of up to 290km/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. 15 August — Iron ore shipments leaving Port Hedland in July fell 20.4% from June to 43.2 million tonnes, according to data released by Pilbara Ports today Shipments of iron ore designated for China totalled 34.1 million tonnes in July (down 14.4 million tonnes from June -29.6% M/m) and accounted for 79% of total iron ore shipments from Port Hedland over the same period Total shipments of ore to Japan and South Korea rose on the month Year-to-date volumes of iron ore leaving Port Hedland for the seven months to July totalled 330.1 million tonnes Port Hedland is bracing for Tropical Cyclone Zelia which is intensifying and expected to become a category-five storm later today The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued cyclone watch and act warnings for regions between Eighty Mile Beach and Whim Creek as the cyclone’s trajectory shifts closer to the Western Australia (WA) coastline Figure 1: Infrared satellite image highlighting intense convective clouds near Tropical Cyclone Zelia on Wednesday. (Credit: Weatherzone) is now tracking steadily towards the coastline a town historically vulnerable to cyclonic conditions is preparing for what could become one of the most severe weather events in the region’s recent history and residents are urged to prepare for potential destruction Figure 2: Port Hedland has come to a halt as Tropical Cyclone Zelia nears the coast of Western Australia. (Credit: Aaron Bunch/AAP PHOTOS) Dr. Geoff Boughton a cyclone expert at the Cyclone Testing Station at James Cook University emphasizes the challenge posed by Cyclone Zelia While Port Hedland’s buildings are designed to withstand extreme conditions many of them have not been maintained to the high standards needed to combat a category-five storm Dr Boughton reflects on Cyclone George (2007) a category three storm that caused significant damage largely due to poor maintenance “We’ve been designing buildings in that part of the world to withstand the highest winds in Australia,” Dr Boughton explained in an interview he adds that poor maintenance and lack of upgrades in some older buildings may now pose a significant risk as the cyclone draws closer reassures residents that Port Hedland is better prepared than many regions to withstand the force of Tropical Cyclone Zelia The town’s strict building codes are designed to mitigate the impact of high winds “We definitely have the best codes and the best building standards that you can ask for,” Christensen stated reflecting the community’s confidence in its preparedness as the storm’s impact becomes more imminent Residents who initially showed a calm response to the approaching cyclone have shifted toward greater concern but now it’s definitely getting more real.” The urgency in securing homes Figure 3: Tropical Cyclone Zelia is expected to intensify to category five strength today. (Windy.com) mentioned that preparations for the approaching Tropical Cyclone Zelia were well underway in the iron ore town which has a population of approximately 16,000 residents were taking necessary precautions “The rain has well and truly started. People are stocking up at the supermarket on food and water and tying down stuff around their homes,” Ward told AAP “The airport is getting busy too; FIFO (or fly-in-fly-out) workers are flying out Looks like it’s going to be a wet and wild Valentine’s Day.” Mining giant BHP has paused all non-essential travel to Port Hedland though iron ore mines in the area continue to operate Local authorities have been working closely with retailers to ensure that essential supplies are available for rural and isolated communities as the cyclone moves toward the eastern Pilbara coast and aircraft have been pre-deployed to assist in emergency response efforts if necessary is experiencing his first cyclone and has noticed a significant shift in behaviour around the town He describes how shop shelves are rapidly emptying with residents stocking up on essentials in anticipation of the storm but it’s looking pretty gnarly out there,” Bell said as he made his final preparations for the storm The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) continues to monitor Cyclone Zelia’s progress reporting that it is currently positioned 140 kilometres northwest of Port Hedland and 240 kilometres northeast of Karratha warned of the immense danger posed by the cyclone especially as its core approaches the region He mentioned that the wind speeds could exceed 280 km/h and the storm’s impact could lead to widespread damage and power outages with the possibility of flash floods exacerbating the danger Narramore outlined some of the main threats expected to accompany Cyclone Zelia: Figure 4: Situation in Port Hedland as tweeted by an X user (Credit: X/@OreboundImages) Emergency response teams are taking every precaution to ensure Port Hedland and surrounding communities are prepared for the worst authorities have deployed personnel to assist in emergency evacuations Premier Roger Cook reiterated the serious nature of the storm and urged residents to take the cyclone seriously and it’s very unpredictable,” he said Dr Boughton reflected on Cyclone Seroja (2021) which led to improvements in building codes for areas like Marble Bar and Kalbarri in WA’s Midwest and Pilbara regions He noted that Cyclone Seroja’s impact led to the implementation of more stringent building standards designed to reduce vulnerability in future storms authorities continue to issue warnings and safety tips to ensure that residents are well-prepared for the storm’s impact Authorities are urging residents to be on high alert as Cyclone Zelia approaches Port Hedland The community is preparing for the storm’s potential to cause extensive damage and widespread disruption COLITCO LLP accepts no responsibility for any claim loss or damage as a result of information provided or its accuracy The information provided on this site is general in nature see a financial expert before making any investment decision financial situation or needs have not been taken into consideration There may be a conflict of interest present with commercial arrangements with companies and/or stock held COLITCO LLP or an associate may receive a commission for funds raised.