Tropical Cyclone Ilsa preparations were in full swing on Western Australia‘s north-west coast on Thursday afternoon, as residents readied to hunker down for potentially the most destructive storm in more than a decade.
Wind speeds could reach 315km/h when the category 5 storm makes landfall about midnight or in the early hours of Friday morning, bringing severe weather to communities.
Some residents were evacuated from the remote community of Bidyadanga to the holiday town of Broome, which is considered to be less exposed to the storm.
While vulnerable and elderly residents left the community, about 500 other locals chose to stay.
Residents cleared loose rubbish, branches and debris from their homes and streets in preparation for the severe weather system.
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“We should be alright, I think we’re only getting the edge of the cyclone,” one resident told 9News.
Cyclone Ilsa bears down on WA coast
Other residents made trips to the supermarket to stock up on food supplies.
The powerful cyclone is expected to cross quickly, with destructive winds pushing inland.
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