A severe category 3 cyclone blew into the key mining region of Pilbara in Western Australia Sunday, forcing evacuations and a halt to port operations, as the north of the country dealt with the effects of an even more powerful storm that hit the previous day.
Cyclone Veronica weakened from a category 4 storm before its core made landfall near the mining centre of Port Hedland, but officials warned the system was slow moving and would continue pounding the region with gale force winds and heavy rain for 24 to 48 hours. The Bureau of Meteorology said Veronica was producing wind gusts of up to 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph) and pushed a storm surge of up to two metres (seven feet) onto the coast.
Rainfall was expected to hit 20-40 centimetres, it said. Major mining and energy companies took precautionary steps across the region, a hub of liquefied natural gas and iron-ore exports, with ports cleared of ships and non-essential staff evacuated, according to australianminining.com.au website. Australia's western coast usually sees three or four cyclones per year and emergency services said residents were well-prepared for this storm.