Australian authorities are preparing for Cyclone Zelia, expected to make landfall in the northwest on Thursday, February 13, 2025. Schools have been closed, flights suspended, and mining operations interrupted.
Cyclone Zelia, currently a Category 4 storm, is forecast to intensify to Category 5. The meteorological department anticipates heavy rainfall and destructive wind gusts near its path. The cyclone is expected to make landfall between Karratha and Port Hedland on Friday afternoon, with sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour and gusts up to 250 kilometers per hour.
The Port Hedland council has implemented precautions, including temporary school closures. The port authority has moved all vessels to safer areas, and facilities will remain closed. Flights to and from Port Hedland have been canceled.
The cyclone is expected to impact the Pilbara mining region, located approximately 120 kilometers south of Port Hedland.