Australia’s Pilbara Ports said on Friday that Port Hedland, the world’s biggest iron ore export hub, and the Western Australia ports of Ashburton, Cape Preston West, Dampier and Varanus Island were cleared due to the threat of a cyclone.
Pilbara Ports said Australia’s weather bureau warned that a tropical low off Western Australia’s coast could develop into a tropical cyclone by Saturday morning.
“The system already developed slightly faster than forecast. Gales were expected over the southern quadrants from that night,” it said in a statement.
A Blue Alert or Cyclone Watch was active for coastal areas from Onslow to Port Hedland, including Karratha. Residents were urged to prepare for cyclonic weather, secure loose items, and monitor the latest alerts from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
