The category 4 tropical cyclone, formed over the ocean west of Australia, is strengthening and is expected to swing into category 5, according to Australian weather forecasts.
By Thursday morning, Cyclone Ilsa was about 250 kilometers off the coast of Western Australia and the system was categorized as Level 4. Moving at a speed of 16 kilometers per hour (km/h), it was causing gusts of up to at 260 km/h.
It is now expected that Ilsa will reach the mainland in the evening and be even more intense, becoming a category 5 cyclone.
This is awarded when the gusts exceed more than 279 km / h, according to the classification of the Australian meteorological office which then describes a system “extremely dangerous with very extensive destruction”.
Ilsa is described by some as "the most powerful storm of the decade" to make landfall.
About 700 kilometers of coastline are placed on alert south of the tourist town of Broome to the mining community of Port Hedland. Many vulnerable people and tourists in at-risk areas have already been evacuated to Broome.
While a weather station has already recorded winds of 260 km / h west of this city, residents are encouraged to go to evacuation centers set up along the coast.
The main road linking Broome to Port Hedland has been closed to traffic by the authorities for more than 500 kilometers.
