Ships are being moved from a major port in Western Australia ahead of a developing tropical cyclone expected to hit on Saturday night.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says a tropical low north of WA is expected to develop into a tropical cyclone by Saturday night as it moves southwest.
The low is 340 kilometres north-northwest of Broome, moving at nine kilometres an hour.
The Port Hedland Port Authority began the evacuation of 29 vessels in the inner and outer anchorage areas on Saturday morning.
Another 12 ships in the inner harbour also began evacuating on Saturday.
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The port authority said in a statement it anticipated the last vessel would leave the shipping channel by 3am on Sunday.
Gale-force winds and widespread rainfall are expected to hit the Port Hedland area on Sunday.
Winds with gusts of up to 100km/h are forecast to develop through Saturday night on the west Kimberley coast between Cape Leveque and Broome.
BOM advises gales and heavy rainfall may extend to Exmouth and adjacent inland areas on Sunday night and Monday.
If the tropical low system develops as BOM expects, a severe tropical cyclone will likely hit the Pilbara on Monday or Tuesday.
A cyclone warning is in place for coastal areas from Cape Leveque to Whim Creek.
The State Emergency Service is urging residents in or near coastal communities between Dampier Peninsula and Onslow in the Kimberley and Pilbara to prepare emergency kits.
