Cyclone Veronica is yet to hit the mainland, having lingered just 60 miles off the nation’s North-West coast on Monday. But locals have been warned to stay indoors as the category two cyclone moves slowly along the Western coast. While it’s no longer expected to make landfall, the cyclone could yet cause widespread flooding in the region.
Heavy rain and monstrous waves whipped up by cyclone mean Western Australia is braced for flooding.
Strong winds have snapped trees and caused power cuts in Western Australia, but there have been no reports of injuries.
An area stretching from Karratha to Port Hedland was hit by gale-force winds of more than 125km/h, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
Residents have reinforced their homes with sandbags and stocked up on food supplies in preparation for the cyclone.
Where is Cyclone Veronica now?
Cyclone Veronica is currently moving up the North West coast of Australia at around 50mph.
The storm was downgraded to a category two at the weekend and is expected to continue moving up the West Coast
Cyclone Veronica is no longer predicted to make landfall, but could still bring fierce winds to land.
Another storm, Cyclone Trevor has battered the Northern Territory of Australia in the past 48 hours.
The grade 4 cyclone made landfall on Saturday between the remote communities of Numbulwar and Borroloola.
A historic phenomenon
While no one has been hurt, it’s the first time in nearly 50 years two cyclones have struck Australia at once.
The destructive weather prompted one of the biggest evacuation efforts in Australia in recent years.
Meteorologist Steph Bond told the BBC: “It really is quite unusual for two cyclones to happen at the same time, particularly two very strong systems.”
Thousands of people were evacuated from rural regions at risk of being hit by the cyclone, and relocated to more central areas.
On Monday some of the evacuees began to return home as it became clear Cyclone Veronica would no longer make landfall.
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