Cyclone hits Western Australia ore shipments

Melbourne

A CYCLONE that's halted iron-ore shipments from northern Australia, the world's biggest exporter, is tracking inland towards the Pilbara mining region, bringing heavy rainfall and triggering flood warnings.

Tropical Cyclone Christine was downgraded to a Category 2 storm (from Category 3) after it made landfall overnight on the Pilbara coast of Western Australia between the north-western towns of Whim Creek and Roebourne, the Bureau of Meteorology said on its website. Winds with gusts topping 130 km an hour are forecast at the storm's centre as the cyclone moves south-east, the bureau said.