Home Australia Tropical Cyclone Sean strengthens off the coast of Australia – as towns brace for impact

Tropical Cyclone Sean strengthens off the coast of Australia – as towns brace for impact

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Tropical Cyclone Sean has formed as a Category 1 system near Karratha off the WA coast, with winds up to 120km/h.

Communities are sheltering on Australia’s western coast as eastern states deal with the fallout from damaging storms and continued rain.

Tropical Cyclone Sean was declared north of Western Australia’s Pilbara coast on Sunday, and the category two storm is expected to strengthen but remain off the coast.

The storm was moving at 16 kilometers per hour Sunday night with sustained winds of up to 95 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 130 kilometers per hour.

The cyclone has halted iron ore exports in much of the Pilbara, home to about 43 per cent of global iron ore trade and 7.5 per cent of global LNG trade.

A storm surge was expected between Port Hedland and Exmouth as the cyclone moved forward.

An emergency cyclone warning was issued for Barrow Island on Sunday night and residents were asked to take shelter indoors and stay in the strongest part of the building.

Barrow Island has a population of 45 people.

There is still a watch and action in place in areas from Mardie to Ningaloo, with strong winds expected to continue into Monday.

Tropical Cyclone Sean has formed as a Category 1 system near Karratha off the WA coast, with winds up to 120km/h.

Currently the system is moving in a west-southwest direction.

Currently the system is moving in a west-southwest direction.

It comes as a magnitude 3.8 earthquake struck WA’s wheat belt in Meckering, about 130 kilometers from the Perth CBD.

In Queensland, communities are on flood alert after heavy rain in the state’s southeast caused swollen dams to burst.

Emergency services carried out several flood rescues in northern New South Wales as heavy falls continued before the channel responsible moved away from the New South Wales coast.

The search also continues for a 53-year-old man after a car was swept off a causeway at Limpinwood, near the New South Wales border with Queensland, about 9.30pm on Saturday.

The car was later found empty.

Late on Sunday, residents along the River Tweed at Chinderah and Barneys Point were informed that floodwaters had begun to recede before reaching predicted peaks.

In New South Wales, local MPs called for expanded disaster relief following powerful storms that left thousands of residents without power.

First Minister Chris Minns dismissed suggestions that non-government seats were being excluded from support.

“There’s no evidence that my government has ever pulled a stunt like that… if they have a municipality, a community… that needs help, my phone is always on,” Minns said.

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