Two ports in Western Australia reopen after Tropical Cyclone Zelia

15/2/2025 14:05

Western Australia's ports of Dampier and Varanus Island reopened, the ports' operator said, after Tropical Cyclone Zelia hit the state's Pilbara iron ore region on Friday.



Pilbara Ports said on its website late on Friday that the ports, a gathering and processing hub for oil and gas, reopened after being shut on Thursday evening as Zelia, the most severe storm to hit the Pilbara coast since Cyclone Ilsa in April 2023, approached.



The operator said in the alert, "Pilbara Ports has undertaken inspections of navigation aids, channels and berths and has confirmed safe operations can resume."



Zelia brought heavy rain and wind gusts up to 290 kph (180 mph) when it made landfall. Its approach prompted the closure of the world's largest iron ore hub, Port Hedland, on Wednesday. The region's Cape Lambert port also shut.



Pilbara Ports said on Saturday it would issue an alert when Port Hedland reopened, after Zelia crossed the coast near the port around noon (0400 GMT) on Friday as a category five cyclone, the highest danger rating.



It moved south and weakened to a category four, sparing the town's population centre from its most destructive winds.