(Reuters) -
Australia's largest iron ore export terminal Port Hedland is likely to escape
the worst of a tropical cyclone forming off the country's northwest coast, the weather
bureau said, but the looming storm has forced the clearing of two smaller
ports.
Pilbara Ports Authority said on
Wednesday it has begun clearing the port and anchorages of Dampier and
Ashburton of all large vessels, expected to be finished by Wednesday afternoon.
Dampier is one of two ports used by
Rio Tinto to ship iron ore, while Ashburton is used by Chevron for its
liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.
A tropical low is expected to form
a cyclone over the next few hours and is on track to strike the coast on
Thursday, just to the west of Port Hedland, the Australian Bureau of
Meteorology said.
The cyclone is likely to bring
winds of 100 kilometers an hour and heavy rains, and the bureau cautioned that
its trajectory may change.
More than 140 million tonnes of
iron ore was exported from the Port of Dampier during the 2013/14 financial
year, according to statistics from the Pilbara Ports Authority.
Australia is also bracing for a second cyclone
off the east coast.
Cyclone Nathan, which is carrying
winds in excess of 130 kilometers an hour, is expected to make land on
Queensland's far north coast on Thursday, the bureau said.
If Nathan makes landfall, it will
be the second east coast storm in recent weeks after Cyclone Marcia flooded
homes and businesses and knocked out power lines on Feb. 20.