Cyclone warning declared for Australian coast
Pastor Dale Morgan
Cyclone warning declared for Australian coast*
By Nicolas Perpitch
December 28, 2007 07:05pm
Article from: AAP
A TROPICAL cyclone watch has been issued for western Australia's Pilbara
coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology estimated category one tropical cyclone
Melanie was 610km north-west of Broome and moving at 8km/h towards the
coast at 4pm (WDT).
A cyclone watch has been issued for coastal areas between Exmouth and
Broome.
"Tropical cyclone Melanie is not expected to cause gales on the coast
overnight tonight or during Saturday," the BOM said in a statement.
"However, gales may develop on the coast late Sunday."
WA's Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the State Emergency
Services have not yet issued community alerts.
At the major mining port of Port Hedland, harbourmaster Lindsay Coperman
said the full emergency plan had not been activated, but preparations
were being made.
"We're taking preliminary precautions in terms of cleaning up rubbish
and tying things down," Mr Coperman said.
Shire of Roeburn deputy president Des Rothe said people in his town of
Karratha would not pay the cyclone much attention unless it came closer
to the coast and became a category three cyclone.
Many people were away over the Christmas holidays and had already tied
down and secured construction and other sites, Mr Rothe said.