New cyclone threatens Western Australia coast

CANBERRA - A severe cyclone with winds exceeding 250km/h menaced northern parts of Western Australia yesterday, less than two weeks after a storm devastated homes and crops on the other side of the country.

Some oil and gas operations and key iron ore ports closed ahead of the arrival of Cyclone Glenda in an area known as "cyclone alley" because it is regularly swept by storms at this time of year.

The storm was downgraded later to a category four, one below the most powerful grade for cyclones, and was about 300km north of the town of Port Hedland and moving slowly west, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre said. "Tomorrow's really the day where things could happen," said forecaster Adam Conroy last night from the centre in Perth, the capital of Western Australia.

The remote Pilbara region under threat is home to around 10,000 people and includes Woodside Petroleum's A$14 billion ($16.33 billion) North West Shelf liquefied natural gas project at Karratha, about 1300km north of Perth.

"Residents of the central and west Pilbara coast are warned of the risk of very destructive winds with gusts exceeding 250 km per hour during Thursday as this very dangerous cyclone nears the coast," the Bureau of Meteorology said on its website.

Australia's northeastern coast was devastated last week by Cyclone Larry. It blew roofs off houses, uprooted trees and decimated sugar and banana crops, causing damage worth up to A$1.5 billion ($1.75 billion).

- REUTERS