Supermarket shelves stripped as Tropical Cyclone Ilsa bears down
Supermarket shelves in parts of one Aussie state have been left desolate as panicked locals rush to stock up ahead of a looming threat.
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Supermarket shelves are desolate, and locals are asked to prevent wheelie bins from turning into “missiles” as Western Australia’s Pilbara region braces for Tropical Cyclone Ilsa’s impact this week.
Images from local supermarkets show empty fresh produce, water, meat and even cheese all but cleared out as the severe system approaches.
One social media video from local Jennefer Morales showed the fresh produce section in Port Hedland Woolworths section seemingly bare.
“Look at that guys. Everyone is getting ready for the cyclone. Oh god, even the brown onion is gone,” Ms Morales is heard saying.
Pilbara ABC reporter Michelle Stanley tweeted from inside a Port Hedland Woolworths store on Tuesday.
Thoughts and prayers for Port Hedland supermarket staff today,” she wrote with a video of bare meat and bread shelves.
“Needless to say, the water aisle was also rather bare.”
Another photo from Stanley even showed the store’s cheese section completely bare.
“It appears I’m not the only person interested in cyclone cheese,” she wrote.
Reports of ‘panic buying’ began on Monday, but locals appeared understanding.
“Well, when it gets flooded out and takes an extra four to five days for food to get there, then I don’t blame people for stocking up,” one said.
“Why the hell do people not prepare for a disaster knowing that they’re going to get hit?” another said.
Thoughts and prayers for Port Hedland supermarket staff today. Needless to say the water aisle was also rather bare. #bluealert#tcilsapic.twitter.com/ybTX02nNTh
— Michelle Stanley (@michlstan) April 11, 2023
A spokeswoman for Coles told news.com.au the supermarket giant was “working hard to ensure a reliable supply of food and groceries to our stores in Broome and South Hedland ahead of any potential impacts from the tropical cyclone heading toward Western Australia’s coastline”.
She said the Great Northern Highway is the main route from the company’s distribution centre in Perth to Port Headland and it “remains open”.
“We have not had to cancel any deliveries,” she said.
“Both our stores maintain an excess supply of ambient goods should a cyclone or similar weather event occur.”
A spokeswoman for Woolworths said the company understood that it was “an unnerving time for northern WA communities as they prepare for Cyclone Ilsa, so soon after January’s devastating floods”.
“Our teams are working hard to position additional stock of key products in Derby, Broome and Port Hedland ahead of the cyclone’s predicted landfall on Thursday to boost local supply,” she said.
“We already have additional deliveries of meat, fruit and veg on their way to Port Hedland.
“Our emergency cyclone containers have also been restocked with essentials to support the community.
“We have pre-emptively introduced a two-pack purchase limit on fresh meat products to ensure there is enough to go around. We ask our customers to be mindful of others and to continue to buy only what they need.
People in Port Hedland are among those on high alert as some communities prepare to evacuate as Tropical Cyclone Ilsa intensifies off the coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts the severe tropical cyclone is expected to reach landfall between Port Hedland and Broome late Thursday or early Friday.
Currently listed as a category four cyclone, the system is already recording winds near the centre of 100 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 140 kilometres per hour.
The Bureau forecasts winds could reach up to 200km/hr when it reaches the coast.
Those areas that could be directly impacted include Beagle Bay to Whim Creek, including Port Hedland and Broome, and inland adjacent areas to Telfer.
Community urged to prevent missiles
Town of Port Hedland Mayor Peter Carter urged people to prevent household objects from turning into dangerous missiles.
“The main thing is going to be flying debris around your house – your barbecue, outdoor setting, even your wheelie bin can become a missile in these winds,” he said.
“Make sure loose items around the house are put away safely.”
Sky News meteorologist Bradlyn Oakes said the cyclone is creating a heavy rain system that has already struck land.
“It’s currently bringing quite heavy precipitation to coastal areas. We’re watching those rain gauges continue to tick up,” Ms Oakes said.
“Gusting winds around the centre of this storm system, bringing the potential to storm surges and flash flooding as well as potential for thunderstorms.
“As it continues to make its way across the coastline and then into interior areas of the country, we’re likely to see it intensify to a category four storm, which can bring winds over 200km, which can be quite damaging.”
The last category four cyclone to make landfall in mainland Australia was Cyclone Debbie in 2017, which crossed the coast near Airlie Beach, Queensland, with wind gusts of up to 263km/h.
Once-in a decade system
Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said remote Aboriginal communities, pastoral stations, mines and tourism operators in its path had been contacted.
He said DEFS had deployed 26 people to the region, including six emergency service vehicles and SES volunteers are expected to arrive in Port Hedland on Wednesday
“We’ve sent additional aircraft into Karratha, that’s two helicopters, and one has been retrofitted with the capability to undertake medical evacuation should that be required,” Mr Klemm said.
He urged people in the cyclone’s path to prepare an emergency evacuation kit, including storing “enough food and water for five days”.
On Tuesday, Mr Klemm said there was “no excuse for not being prepared.”
“It is going to be a severe tropical cyclone, certainly a category three and the potential to be higher than that,” he said.
“It’s been some 10 years since there’s been a cyclone greater than category three through this area.”
Not just a coastal event
Meanwhile, workers at Wallal Downs cattle station, Newcrest’s Telfer mine and caravan parks are being evacuated, along with non-critical workers at BHP’s sites across the region.
Residents in those areas should expect damage to trees, vegetation, any buildings or infrastructure that aren’t up to code, caravans and cars.
“Tropical Cyclone Ilsa is expected to intensify into a severe tropical cyclone Wednesday morning as it continues to move southwest towards the Pilbara coast,” the Bureau stated on Wednesday.
“Ilsa is forecast to track to the south and then turn to the southeast during Thursday, towards the east Pilbara coast.
“A severe impact is likely along the coast and adjacent inland parts between Port Hedland and Broome, during late Thursday or early Friday.
“During Friday, Ilsa is forecast to maintain tropical cyclone intensity as it tracks towards Telfer and further inland across the Northern Interior district.”
Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms are expected over the western Kimberley, and may extend to the eastern Pilbara from Thursday and Northern Interior from Friday.
Possible high tides are also are forecast for the coast between Broome and Port Hedland on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Bureau warns that in some locations, the tide may be close to the year’s highest astronomical tide.
In 2021, category three Cyclone Seroja devastated 70 per cent of homes in the midwest Western Australia towns of Kalbarri and Northampton, totally levelling some.
Parts of the Kimberley have already been ravaged by severe flooding this year, which destroyed homes and roads and left many communities cut off for weeks.
– with NCA NewsWire
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