WA: Cyclone Laurence to hit Derby overnight

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-2009
WA: Cyclone Laurence to hit Derby overnight

PERTH, Dec 16 AAP - The town of Derby, WA has been placed on red alert overnight as
Tropical Cyclone Laurence continues on its southerly track.

Local residents have been urged by the Fire and Emergency Authorities of Western Australia
(FESA) to stay indoors and keep vehicles off the roads, with winds of up to 230 km/hr
expected in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The Great Northern Highway has been closed east of Roebuck Road House and west of Fitzroy
Crossing and all roads in between have been closed until the all clear is issued, a FESA
statement said.

Cyclone Laurence is expected to hit Derby at 5am (WST) on Thursday at Category 2, FESA
spokesman Kim Moulden told AAP.

A red alert remains in the areas of Koolan and Cockatoo Island, with residents urged
to remain indoors.

A FESA statement said that gales and destructive winds are likely to extend further
inland overnight as the cyclone moves at a speed of eight km/hr.

So far, there have been no injuries reported and only minor damage to properties, Mr
Moulden said.

The cyclone weakened from Category 5 on Wednesday evening to Category 3 in the early
hours of Thursday morning.

A yellow alert was issued for Cape Leveque, One Arm Point, Djarindjin and Lombadina
on Wednesday night, with residents in those locations urged to ready themselves to take
shelter.

All coastal areas from Beagle Bay to Bidyadanga including Broome and extending inland
towards Fitzroy Crossing are currently on cyclone watch.

Laurence, the first cyclone of the season off the WA coast, formed in the Timor Sea
on Sunday and intensified from a Category 1 cyclone to a category three on Tuesday.

The cyclone is small but wind gusts of up to 285km/h have been recorded close to its centre.

AAP ih/ash/jfm

KEYWORD: LAURENCE AM UPDATE

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