SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE ILSA MAKES LANDFALL

Cyclone tracking map published at 6.11 am by the Bureau of Meteorology.

PUBLISHED 8.35 AM

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa crossed the Pilbara coast between De Grey and Pardoo Roadhouse as a category five system at around midnight last night.

The cyclone broke Australia’s ten-minute sustained windspeed record, with a speed of 218 kilometres an hour recorded at Bedout Island, just off the coast, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. 

Hundreds of millimetres of rain are understood to have been dumped on cattle stations north of Port Hedland, and Meteorologist Jessica Lingard said the storm is expected to reach the Telfer mine site as a category 2 system later today.

“Right now, it is a category three system, sitting just to the east of Marble Bar,” she said.

“It is continuing to weaken as it continues through the inland parts and heads towards the Northern Territory.”

DFES Superintendent Peter Sutton told the ABC it appeared there had been severe damage to Pardoo Roadhouse, but Port Hedland and Bidyadanga had escaped the “brunt of the cyclone”.

“Overnight we’ve received no calls for assistance, so it appears the larger populated areas have really escaped the damage,” he said.

Port Hedland residents have been given the all-clear by emergency services to leave their houses.

DFES has advised residents in red zones, which are currently areas South of Wallal Downs, including Wallal Downs, to De Grey, Marble Bar, Nullagine and Telfer, to remain inside until alerts are lifted.

Degrey Station was within the alert zone for Tropical Cyclone Ilsa, but Station owner Mark Bettini said it seemed largely undamaged. 

“At the homestead, the buildings look ok,” he said.

“I think we’ve dodged a bullet.

“I have heard of one satellite TV dish disappearing, but it seems everything else is pretty well intact. It’s just the gardens that are a bit of a mess. There are a few branches around and we’ve lost a frangipani tree.”