A fierce tropical cyclone is expected to make landfall in Western Australia on Thursday, bringing with it winds strong enough to cause widespread destruction and disruption. Category 3 cyclone Ilsa is currently bearing down on the coastal towns of Broome and Port Hedland, with forecasters warning that it will intensify to a category 4 by the time it hits the mainland.
Gusts of up to 270km/h are expected when the cyclone makes landfall, with the Bureau of Meteorology urging residents to take immediate action to secure their homes and belongings. “It’s going to be strong enough to pick up a caravan and move it around,” said Jessica Lingard, a BoM meteorologist. “Tie down loose objects such as outdoor furniture, trampolines, trailers, boats, and caravans, so they don’t become dangerous projectiles as the system moves.”
The cyclone has already strengthened from a category 2 to a category 3 in the past 24 hours, and forecasters warn that it will bring heavy rainfall and destructive winds to the western Kimberley. Storms are also expected to extend into the Pilbara region, causing widespread disruption and damage.
Cyclone IlsaRemote Aboriginal communities, pastoral stations, mines, and tourism operators have been asked to evacuate, with the WA fire and emergency services commissioner, Darren Klemm, warning that people living in structures not built to withstand a category 4 weather event should take immediate action to ensure their safety.
As the cyclone approaches, residents are stocking up on supplies and preparing for the worst. Cassandra Baleilau, who lives in Broome, said that there is an eerie feeling in the town, but people are busy grabbing supplies before bunkering down. “A lot of our clients don’t have phones or don’t watch TV, so we’re making sure everyone is aware there’s a cyclone coming, that they know what to do, and that they are in appropriate shelter,” she said.
In the remote Aboriginal community of Bidyadanga, almost 200km south of Broome, vulnerable locals including elderly people and patients having dialysis treatment have been evacuated. The community’s chief executive officer, Tania Baxter, said that there is a little bit of community anxiety, but that the community is well-prepared for the storm. “We have these weather systems every year, and have done a lot of preparation,” she said. “It is something we have to wait out, it is something we have gone through before. It is not doom and gloom. We are going to face this, and it’ll be OK.”