Perth: Tropical Cyclone Mitchell intensified on Sunday, Australia's weather bureau said, as it tracked towards the country's remote northwest, home to the world's biggest iron-ore export hub of Port Hedland. Port Hedland, as well as the nearby ports of Ashburton, Cape Preston West, Dampier and Varanus Island, closed on Saturday as Mitchell developed off the coast of Western Australia's resource-rich Pilbara region, Pilbara Ports said.
According to Emirates News Agency, on Sunday, the weather bureau announced that Mitchell had strengthened to a Category 3 cyclone with wind gusts of up to 195 kph. Category 3 storms, two levels below the most severe, typically bring winds that damage structures, crops and trees, and cause power failures, according to the weather bureau.
The federal agency has forecast Mitchell to make landfall between the towns of Exmouth and Onslow late on Sunday or early Monday morning local time.
