SYDNEY, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- A tropical cyclone has formed off the north coast of Western Australia (WA), with authorities warning it will make landfall as a category three storm on Friday.
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) declared Tropical Cyclone Zelia on Wednesday as a category one system in the Indian Ocean.
It said that the cyclone was 280 km west of the town of Broome on WA's northwest Kimberley coast and 320 km northeast of Port Hedland in the Pilbara region.
The BoM said that the cyclone is tracking towards the eastern parts of the Pilbara and warned communities along a 700-km stretch of coast between Broome and the industrial port of Dampier to prepare for the storm to hit.
The cyclone is expected to grow in strength before crossing the WA coast on Friday as a category three severe tropical cyclone. ■
