Pilbara residents have told amazing survival stories as damaging winds and driving rain from tropical cyclone Laurence continue to pound the Pilbara.
As Laurence nears Telfer, residents have told thewest.com.au of how they huddled inside the cabin of a truck while others rode out the storm in an anchored sea container.
At Mandora Station, a family of four, including a 17-year-old and a six-year-old sought shelter in a truck from 2pm yesterday until 6am today.
"We've lost the saddle shed and our main water supply, a few roofs off our hay shed," Sarah Edmunds, 17, said.
"A couple of sheds have fallen on one of our cars.
We were going to go but the wind was too strong, we didn't know what damage there was at the house at the time.
It was a little bit nerve-racking because we could not see what was going on. The truck kept shaking from the wind and we could hear things hitting the roof and we didn't know what it was so we were a bit scared."
At Wallal Station, 4km from the 80 Mile Beach Caravan Park, manager Garry Schubert said the wind and rain began at 2.30pm yesterday until 5pm, then there was silence for 45 minutes as the eye passed overhead.
He said his power station, shearing quarters, air conditioners on the side of the house and satellite dishes were all blown away in what he described as 300km/h winds.
"We lost our workshop, generator shed causing all power to be cut, lost our main water tank for the homestead, we lost the garden shed and the roof off our kitchen," he said. "It really didn't start getting into us until 5.30pm, the eye went over us and then gave us 45 minutes rest and then gave it to us the other way," he said.
"We were in the homestead and it started to leak a little bit and we thought it was all over but we hung in."
The wind lasted until about 11pm last night, when it started to die down and Mr Schubert surveyed the damage.
Mr Schubert said tin was lying around the property and trees had been ripped out of the ground.
He said he didn't know the condition of his 8000 cattle and planned to inspect the herd once the water cleared.
"It's too wet, we can't move anywhere at the moment, all the roads here are full of water," he said.
"We got plenty of food and water. The main road will be closed for two or three days. I've got two little generator sets going and they'll keep the cold room going."
On Warrawagine Station, 140km east of Marble Bar, owner Robin Mills told of a terrifying night amid the strongest storm he had ever seen.
This morning Mr Mills said the homestead was flooded and the property was strewn with fallen trees.
He said a stone storage building, built in 1901, had lost its roof.
Mr Mills recorded 240mm of rain since 7pm last night, with rain and winds peaking about 5am.
He had lived on the station for almost 18 years and had never seen a cyclone as ferocious as tropical cyclone Laurence.
"We have had a couple (of cyclones) go over us but this is well and truly the strongest one," Mr Mills said. "But when you live in a big stone home like this you know that it's going to be secure. It's survived 109 years so far," he said.
Karina Turner, whose father owns the Sandfire Roadhouse 30km south of Eighty Mile Beach, said on Tuesday the ferocity and noise of the cyclone was frightening as its 250km/h winds lashed the roadhouse and surrounding buildings.
Ms Turner said she and her family were forced to take shelter about three hours before they felt the full brunt of Cyclone Laurence shortly after 6pm.
She said the noise was deafening as rain battered the house and trees and bits of roofing iron were blown around.
"The first part of the cyclone was definitely the worst when it was coming from the east about 6.30," Ms Turner said.
"The wind changed direction and came from the north and you could feel it getting worse as it picked up speed.
"Water was coming in and you could hear tin rattling in the wind and see trees falling down and stuff going everywhere."
With daylight showing the extent of the damage, Ms Turner said she was shocked to see most of the trees levelled and the caravan park toilets gone.
"All the buildings suffered water damage in some way because the rain was coming in horizontally," she said.
"There's lots of cleaning up to do, but my heart goes out to the people at Mandora, Wallal and Eighty Mile Beach, who bore the brunt of the cyclone." |