(CNN) Cyclone Ilsa slammed into a remote Western Australian coast around midnight Thursday local time with wind speeds that broke previous records set more than 10 years ago in the same area.
After drifting off the coast for several days, Cyclone Ilsa made landfall between De Gray and Pardoo Roadhouse as a category 5 storm, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology – the equivalent of a category 4 storm in Atlantic.
The storm has since weakened and moved southeast across the state, bringing heavy rain and sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (74 miles per hour).
Before it hit the mainland, Ilsa sped past Bedout Island, a small uninhabited island, where its sustained winds reached 218 kph (135 mph) in a 10-minute period.
“Cyclone George previously held the record with 194 kph in 2007 at the same location!” the BOM tweeted. Overnight, wind gusts on the island, which is a breeding ground for seabirds, reached 288 kph (179 mph).
It is not yet clear what damage the storm has inflicted on Western Australia, although the winds have the potential to cause extensive damage to trees, buildings, power lines and other infrastructure.
Officials plan to assess the damage from the air as soon as it is safe enough to fly helicopters over the area.
On Friday, Superintendent Peter Sutton, of Western Australia’s fire and emergency department, said the storm did not appear to affect major population centers, including the town of Port Hedland, home to about 16,000 people. people, mostly mine workers.
“There was certainly damage along the coast where the crossing occurred, but most of the residential areas were spared the brunt of the eye as it crossed the coast,” Sutton said.
Port Hedland mayor Peter Carter told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the gust of wind sounded like a freight train. “I think the town was very lucky… the town is still here,” he told CNN affiliate Seven News.
Port Hedland is the largest bulk export port in the world, where large volumes of iron ore are loaded and shipped to countries including China, Japan and South Korea. The Pilbara Ports Authority said the port reopened on Friday following safety inspections to check for infrastructure damage.
Bidyadanga, the largest Aboriginal community in the state, home to around 850 people, was also unharmed, according to initial reports.
Early Friday, reports emerged of “extensive damage” to the Pardoo Roadhouse, a popular destination for travelers on the coastal highway. One of its owners, Will Batth, told the ABC he endured “four hours of hell” and eventually sought shelter in a shipping container as Cyclone Ilsa tore through the roof.
Authorities warned residents to tie down anything that could fly away in strong winds – caravans, trampolines, trailers and any other loose objects.
“Winds of this magnitude are extremely dangerous. Not only can they knock down trees, power lines, and damage roofs and homes, but they can also lift large objects from your yard — boats, trailers or caravans — and put them up. the wind,” warned BOM senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury.
As the storm approached on Thursday, coastal areas were placed under a red alert, meaning people should stay in place and shelter inside buildings, away from windows and doors.
Evacuation centers were opened for people brought in from remote communities at risk of being battered by winds and cut off by debris and flooding.
Cyclone Ilsa is expected to dump heavy rain in the region — as much as 200 to 300 millimeters, according to the BOM — and many areas of the state are under flood watch.
“River flooding may affect roads and access routes, with many roads becoming muddy or impassable in the coming days,” Bradbury said Thursday.
The strongest storm to hit any part of Australia was Cyclone Monica, which arrived in 2006 with sustained winds of about 290 kph (180 mph), as it swept across eastern and northern Australia.
The typhoon missed the populated areas but felled trees and caused severe damage to the plants with the storm surge reaching six meters in height.