Source : Perth Now news
Communities are bunkering down on Australia’s western coast as eastern states deal with the fallout from damaging storms and continuing rain.
Tropical Cyclone Sean was declared on Sunday north of the Pilbara Coast in Western Australia, with the category two storm expected to strengthen, but remain off the coast.
The storm was moving at 16km an hour on Sunday evening with sustained winds of up to 95km/h and gusts of up to 130km/h.
The cyclone has halted iron ore exports across much of the Pilbara, home to about 43 per cent of the global iron ore trade and 7.5 per cent of global LNG trade.
A storm tide was expected between Port Hedland and Exmouth as the cyclone progressed.
A cyclone emergency warning was issued for Barrow Island on Sunday evening with residents told to shelter indoors and stay in the strongest part of the building.
Barrow Island has a population of 45 people.
A watch and act is still in place for areas from Mardie to Ningaloo, with wild winds expected to continue through to Monday.
It comes as a 3.8 magnitude earthquake hit WA’s wheatbelt in Meckering, about 130km from Perth’s CBD.
In Queensland, communities are on flood alert after heavy rain in the state’s southeast caused swollen damns to spill.
Emergency services conducted several flood rescues around northern NSW as heavy falls continued before the trough responsible moved off the NSW coast.
The search also continues for a 53-year-old man after a car was swept off a causeway at Limpinwood near the NSW border with Queensland about 9.30pm on Saturday.
The car was later found empty.
Late on Sunday, residents along the Tweed River at Chinderah and Barneys Point were told floodwaters had started to recede before they had reached predicted peaks.
In NSW, local MPs called for expanded disaster relief following powerful storms that left thousands of residents without electricity.
Premier Chris Minns dismissed suggestions non-government seats were being excluded from support.
“There’s no evidence that my government has ever pulled a stunt like that … if they’ve got a township, community … that needs help, my phone is always on,” Mr Minns said.
