The Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation (ARPC) has declared that a cyclone event has begun in relation to Tropical Cyclone Ilsa.
Christopher Wallace, Chief Executive of ARPC, has specified that the cyclone began on 11 April at 4:00 PM (AEST), adding that the claims period for the cyclone event also began at that time.
According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Cyclone Ilsa is now Category 3 and is expected to continue intensifying as it moves southwest towards the Pilbara coast.
The Bureau anticipates that Ilsa will cross the coast east of Port Hedland late Thursday or early Friday as a Category 4 tropical cyclone.
The warning zones are from Bidyadanga to Port Hedland and to adjacent inland areas, not including Port Hedland, while the watch zones include Beagle Bay to Whim Creek, including Port Hedland and Broome, and inland areas to Nullagine, Parnngurr and Kiwirrkurra, including Telfer and Marble Bar.
The Bureau’s details of the cyclone, as of 2:00 pm AWST, April 12, describe sustained winds near the centre of 120 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 165 kilometres per hour. Ilsa is moving west-southwest at 7 kilometres per hour.
The Bureau writes, “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 east of Port Hedland and west of Bidyadanga, in the vicinity of Wallal Downs, during late Thursday or early Friday.
“During Friday, Ilsa is forecast to maintain tropical cyclone intensity as it tracks past Telfer and further inland across the Northern Interior district.”
Outlining the hazards, the Bureau continues, “The very destructive core of Ilsa, with extreme gusts up to 270 km/hr is expected to cross the coast between De Grey and west of Bidyadanga late Thursday night or early Friday morning, and move further inland Friday morning.
“Destructive winds with gusts to 155 km/h may develop near the coast between Bidyadanga and Port Hedland during Thursday afternoon or evening, extending inland as far as Marble Bar later on Thursday and to Telfer Friday morning.
“Damaging winds with gusts to 90 km/h may develop between Bidyadanga and Port Hedland during early Thursday afternoon. damaging winds may extend further west to Port Hedland later Thursday if Ilsa moves further to the west.
“Damaging winds may extend further to Beagle Bay later Thursday, including Broome, if Ilsa tracks further east. Damaging winds are expected to extend inland to Marble Bar during Thursday afternoon, to Telfer early Friday and to Kiwirrkurra by Friday evening.
“Heavy rainfall and squally thunderstorms are expected over the western Kimberley, and may extend to the eastern Pilbara from Thursday and Northern Interior from Friday. 200 to 400 mm of rainfall is possible during Thursday and Friday near where Ilsa crosses the coast.
“Abnormally high tides are possible about the coast between Broome and Port Hedland during Wednesday, and Thursday. In some locations, the tide may be close to or exceed the highest astronomical tide of the year.”
It’s important to note that the location Ilsa is forecast to make landfall is not a region with particularly high exposure concentrations, so it’s unlikely to cause a particularly large insurance and reinsurance market loss. However, it is clear there is still a significant threat to lives and property.
