() — Cyclone Ilsa smashed into a remote stretch of the Western Australian coastline around midnight local time Thursday with winds breaking previous records set more than 10 years ago at the same location.
After building off the coast for days, Cyclone Ilsa made landfall between De Gray and Pardoo Roadhouse as a Category 5 storm, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), the equivalent of a US hurricane. Category 4 Atlantic.
Since then, the cyclone has weakened and moved southeast across the state, bringing heavy rains and sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour.
Just before landfall, Cyclone Ilsa accelerated over Bedout Island, a small uninhabited island, where sustained wind speeds reached 218 km/h over a 10-minute period.
“Cyclone George was the previous record holder with 120 mph in 2007 at the same location!” the BOM tweeted. Overnight, wind gusts on the island, which is a breeding ground for seabirds, reached 288 km/h.
It is not yet clear what damage the cyclone caused in Western Australia, although the winds had the potential to cause significant damage to trees, buildings, power lines and other infrastructure.
Flood warnings are in effect for a large area of Western Australia for April 14, 2023 and there are fears that floodwater could block access to remote roads. (Credit: WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services)
Officials planned to inspect the damage from the air when it was safe enough to fly helicopters over the area.
On Friday, Superintendent Peter Sutton of Western Australia’s fire and emergency services department said the cyclone appears to have bypassed major population centers including the city of Port Hedland, home to some 16,000 people, in its most mine workers.
“There will certainly be damage along the coastal areas where the crossing occurred, but largely the populated areas escaped the brunt when it crossed the coast,” Sutton said.
Port Hedland Mayor Peter Carter told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the gusty winds sounded like a freight train. “I think the city was very lucky… the city is still here,” he told affiliate Seven News.
Port Hedland is the world’s largest bulk export port, where large volumes of iron ore are loaded and shipped to countries including China, Japan and South Korea. The Pilbara Port Authority said the port reopened on Friday after safety inspections to check for any damage to infrastructure.
Bidyadanga, the largest aboriginal community in the state, home to some 850 people, was also relatively unscathed, according to early reports.
Reports of “extensive damage” emerged at Pardoo Roadhouse, a popular destination for road travelers along the coast, early on Friday. One of its owners, Will Batth, told ABC he endured “four hours of hell” and eventually sought refuge in a shipping container as Cyclone Ilsa ripped the roof off.
Australian emergency services workers assess the extent of damage caused by Cyclone Ilsa which made landfall in remote parts of the country on April 14, 2023. (Credit: WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services)
Authorities had warned residents to tie down anything that could blow away in high winds: caravans, trampolines, trailers and any loose objects.
“Winds of this force are extremely dangerous. Not only can they bring down trees, power lines, and damage roofs and houses, but they can also lift large loose objects from your yard—boats, trailers, or caravans—and launch them into the air,” warned BOM Principal Meteorologist Miriam Bradbury.
As the storm approached on Thursday, coastal areas were placed on red alert, meaning people were required to stay in place and take shelter inside buildings, away from windows and doors.
Evacuation centers were opened for people brought from remote communities at risk of being buffeted by winds and cut off by debris and flooding.
Cyclone Ilsa is expected to dump heavy rainfall on the region, up to 200 to 300 millimeters, according to the BOM, and vast areas of the state are under flood watches.
“River flooding may significantly affect roads and access routes, with many roads muddy or even inaccessible for days to come,” Bradbury said Thursday.
The strongest storm to have hit any part of Australia was Cyclone Monica, which arrived in 2006 with sustained winds of around 290 km/h as it swept across the eastern and northern parts of Australia.
That cyclone bypassed densely populated areas but downed trees and caused extensive damage to vegetation along with a storm surge up to six meters high.
