Residents breathe sigh of relief as eye of Zelia narrowly misses Port Hedland

Residents of Port Hedland in Western Australia felt a collective sigh of relief this morning as Tropical Cyclone Zelia changed course at the last minute, averting a direct hit on the area. Zelia made landfall about an hour's drive away, striking a cattle station as a category four storm. This near miss highlighted the unpredictable nature of tropical cyclones and the importance of preparedness.

Nevertheless, the cyclone still brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to Port Hedland, resulting in uprooted trees, flooded roads, and damage to homes. Some parts of the region received up to 500 millimeters of rain over the past few days. While the emergency alert for the area has been lifted, significant flooding is expected due to the massive rainfall. The authorities are now focused on assessing the full extent of the damage and providing assistance to affected communities.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has already received 60 calls for assistance, and they anticipate a surge in calls as the sun rises over the west coast. According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Zelia is slowly dissipating over the Pilbara region, moving south at 8 kilometers per hour. However, as it moves south, and across the West Kimberley and the North Gascoyne, it will bring heavy rainfall and the possibility of flooding. Emergency services are urging residents to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary travel.

Sarah Scully, a senior meteorologist at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, stated that rainfall is expected to continue over the next 24 hours, with accumulations of up to 120 millimeters. "There is major flooding occurring at the Gascoyne River at the moment, and some river levels are continuing to rise," Scully said. "The impacts from flooding are still ongoing, as there is still rain falling in the area, even though the winds have eased below gale force." The focus remains on managing the flood risks and ensuring the safety of residents in affected areas.

Scully also stated: "Tropical Cyclone Zelia weakened overnight to a tropical low. It has moved south, so it's no longer connected to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, and therefore has weakened below tropical cyclone intensity. We are expecting the impacts of heavy rainfall to continue, with the possibility of flooding. The system is now expected to move south and bring tropical moisture, and areas of moderate to heavy rainfall, to southern parts of Western Australia." This southward movement poses a continued threat of flooding and heavy rainfall for regions further south.