Australia braces for cyclone

A severe tropical cyclone smashed into Western Australia's north coast yesterday, forcing residents to bunker down as they waited for the destructive gale-force winds to pass.
Cyclone Lua, upgraded to a Category 4 storm -- five is the highest -- hit the sparsely populated Pilbara region and was moving inland, with winds estimated at 250 kilometres at its centre near the shore.
The small communities of Pardoo and Wallal were expected to be worst hit, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning winds of up to 160 kilometres per hour from Port Hedland to Bidyadanga, near the resort town of Broome.
Commercial flights into the area have been cancelled.