Abdelrahman
Tropical Cyclone Zelia Approaches Pilbara Region, Threatening Significant Economic Impact
A formidable tropical cyclone is racing towards the Pilbara area in northwestern Australia, with forecasts indicating severe winds and flooding for this remote yet economically vital region, which houses essential ports and mines pivotal to the global market.
On Thursday morning, Tropical Cyclone Zelia recorded sustained wind speeds around 127 miles per hour, with expectations to make landfall late Friday in Western Australia, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. This powerful storm is classified as equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane on the Atlantic scale and ranks among the highest categories on Australia’s tropical cyclone scale.
“It doesn’t get more intense than this. This is the most powerful tropical cyclone possible,” stated Angus Hines, a senior meteorologist from the bureau, during a briefing on Thursday.
Despite its sparse population, the Pilbara region is recognized as Australia’s mining powerhouse, hosting major iron ore mines operated by industry giants such as Rio Tinto, BHP, and Fortescue. Due to the impending storm, operations at a significant port in the area have already been suspended.
Mr. Hines noted that wind gusts could reach up to 180 miles per hour upon landfall, posing a risk of severe structural damage and widespread devastation. Additionally, Cyclone Zelia is anticipated to bring flash floods and coastal surges, with some areas likely to receive over 19.7 inches of rain.
In response to the approaching storm, several ports in the region have ceased operations. Port Hedland, one of the largest iron ore terminals globally, shut down on Wednesday, while Dampier Port, which services Rio Tinto, and the Port of Varanus Island, utilized for oil and fuel processing, are scheduled to close on Thursday afternoon, as reported by Pilbara Ports.
Rio Tinto announced on Thursday that it had suspended its Dampier Salt operations at Port Hedland and Dampier and had successfully evacuated vessels and trains from its regional ports.
The storm is forecasted to make landfall between Karratha, a town with a population of around 22,000, and Port Hedland, home to nearly 16,000 residents. As a precaution, several major roads, stores, national parks, and numerous schools in the area were closed as of Thursday.
Stay tuned for further updates on Tropical Cyclone Zelia and its impending impact on the Pilbara region.
