Australia’s most powerful tropical cyclone in eight years hit the northwest coast, with winds of up to 289 kilometres per hour (kph) on Friday.
According to Associated Press, Cyclone Ilsa skirted densely populated areas and there have been no reports of injuries so far.
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said the cyclone had traversed the Pilbara coast of Western Australia as a Category 5 storm but weakened to Category 2 as it turned inland.
Damage is still being assessed in the path of Ilsa, which made landfall in the early hours, 150 kilometres (93 miles) northeast of the iron ore export town of Port Hedland in rural Pardoo.
Pardoo had a population of 47 in the latest census and the Pardoo Roadhouse and Tavern was destroyed, according to the owner’s reports posted on social media.
“They’ve had a pretty uncomfortable, challenging night,” Department of Fire and Emergency Services Superintendent Peter McCarthy told AP.
Acting Emergency Services Minister Sue Ellery said the cyclone was “fairly minimal”.
Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said it was a relief Ilsa had shifted toward Pardoo, with the result that the world’s largest bulk iron ore export harbour, Port Hedland, was not hit by the eye of the storm.
Port officials issued a warning on Wednesday, clearing all docks of ships, including iron ore carriers, before the storm hit.
Ilsa apparently set an Australian record, with wind gusts in its path recorded as high as 289kph (180mph) at Bedout Island off the Pilbara coast before the island's measuring equipment stopped working, a weather bureau official reported.
