Cattle station takes direct hit from Cyclone Zelia but minor damage elsewhere

“We’ll continue to work with local authorities to assess the damage and undertake whatever repairs are needed in the coming days.”

There were around 60 calls for assistance, the premier said, adding that the Great Northern Highway and other key roads in the area were still closed as a result of flooding from the cyclone.

The centre of the storm hit as a category 4 system around 50 kilometres to the east of Port Hedland at the mouth of the De Grey River, alongside which sits the homestead of De Grey Cattle Station.

Station owner and manager Mark Bettini posted to social media on Friday evening that they had suffered “a fair bit of damage”.

“Just wanted to let everyone know we made it through ok,” he posted on Friday night.

“We have had a fair bit of damage but we are also very lucky at the same time.

“Thanks to everyone who expressed their concern we don’t have much signal so I’ll probably be quiet for a while I hope everyone else fairs ok.”

The premier said the station had been hit hard, had suffered cattle loss and damage to buildings.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said Zelia weakened slightly as it crossed the coast at about 12.30pm on Friday but that at its core it was bringing wind gusts of around 270 kilometres an hour.

Hines said that while the cyclone warning had been cancelled, a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall was still in place.

“Rainfall has been very heavy for days across the Pilbara,” Hines said.

“Parts of the coast around Pardoo are already registering over 500 millimetres of rain in three days as the tropical cyclone was strengthening over nearby coastal waters, which is a record for some weather stations.

“Since 9am on Friday through to 3am on Saturday, 278 millimetres of further rain has been recorded at Upper North Pole, 197 millimetres at Marble bar, and 153 millimetres at Telfer, which included 93 millimetres in one hour.

“This is exceptionally rare for that location and that part of the world.”

He said a broad flood watch warning was also in place across many rivers in north-western WA.

“We may still see river rises in the coming 24 hours,” he said.

The remnants of Cyclone Zelia is now inland over the Pilbara and moving south towards the interior of WA.

Hines said the wind associated with the system would continue to weaken throughout Saturday.

Emergency Services minister Stephen Dawson said while some people from aboriginal communities in the region were evacuated, the damage from the storm was minor.

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“Thankfully, what we’ve seen is leaking roofs, falling trees and fences down in Hedland,” he said.

“There hasn’t been major damage.”

“We’re working closely with the major supermarkets to ensure that Pilbara and Kimberly remain well supplied while the road closures are in place,” he said.

“We’re also working with the federal government to activate Disaster Relief Fund arrangements to provide support for recovery efforts.