West Australia waits for Cyclone Iggy

Samantha Healy and Emily Moulton in news.com.au (Australia): Residents in parts of the North-West Australia are on high alert last night as Tropical Cyclone Iggy edged closer to the coast On the other side of the nation, Queenslanders battered by heavy rainfall have been told to be on high alert for flooding.

Iggy formed early on Thursday and has been slowly moving southeast towards Mardie, Coral Bay, Exmouth and Onslow. Heavy rains and gales up to 125km/h are expected to hit the region as the category-two cyclone heads south.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority has warned locals to review their family cyclone plan, prepare an emergency kit with a portable radio, torch and first-aid kit, as well as check the community alerts system.

An alert has also been issued for people living between Whim Creek and Mardie, Coral Bay to Cape Cuvier and adjacent inland parts of the west Pilbara. David Hall, whose Exmouth Diving Centre was badly damaged during tropical cyclone Vance in 1999, said locals were well prepared for Iggy, which is expected to intensify over the next 24 hours.

"You go to the shop there is not much milk or bread left. Everyone is stocking up on all the goods they need and they are just sort of hunkering down . . . the locals are used to it," he said.

Meanwhile,Central Queensland will remain on flood alert as a monsoonal low continues to march south across the state. Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Gavin Holcombe said the low was expected to move into NSW today and continue to decay...

Tropical Cyclone Iggy on January 26, 2012, from NASA