Cyclone hits Australia's west coast

CANBERRA, Mar 9 (Reuters) Communities on Australia's north-west coast were today battered by a severe tropical cyclone which reportedly killed one and tore roofs from homes with destructive winds and heavy flooding.

Cyclone George hit the Western Australian coast near the remote iron ore capital Port Hedland overnight with 275 km per hour winds, uprooting trees and power lines.

West Australian police said one still unidentified person was believed to have been killed at a railway camp 100 km south of the town, with the death reported by paramedics. Damage reports were still coming in.

''We've definitely got houses de-roofed in various parts of the town,'' State Emergency Service Port Hedland manager Derek Jones told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Local residents were sheltering today as the category four cyclone -- just one step short of the maximum level five -- continued to buffet Port Hedland with 150 kph winds, despite having crossed the coast.

''We honestly just heard these sounds like roofs or tin flying everywhere,'' Port Hedland resident Peta McHardy said.

A second storm, tropical cyclone Jacob, was also heading towards Western Australia, but was still far off the coast and was 285 km south of the Australian territory of Christmas Island.

Jones said emergency teams were waiting for George to lose intensity before moving out to assess the extent of damage.

''At this stage we ask residents to stay inside until it's all clear,'' he said.

The Bureau of Meteorology said winds would likely ease through the day as the cyclone moved inland.

Mining company BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc closed its iron ore port operations in Port Hedland, while much of the offshore oil production in the area was also suspended as a precaution, affecting about half of Australia's daily oil output.

Ships in the area's iron ore ports moved to the safety of deeper water to ride out the cyclone and await the possible arrival of category two Jacob.

Cyclones are a regular feature of the Australian summer in the tropical north and the season still has another month to run. The most deadly on record was Cyclone Tracy, which killed 65 people in the northern city of Darwin in 1974.

REUTERS DKS PM0416