Tropical Cyclone Grant is expected to remain a category one system as it passes just to the north of a tiny group of islands off the West Australian coast on Christmas Day.
A Cyclone Watch and Act advisory is in place for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, with residents urged to remain indoors.
Wind gusts of up to 100km/h are predicted, along with heavy rain and flash flooding.
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About 600 people live on the islands, more than 2,000 kilometres off the north-west WA coastline, about midway between Australia and Sri Lanka.
The group consists of 27 islands but only two, West and Home islands, are inhabited.
The cyclone track map (as at 9am Thursday) shows the cyclone’s path will pass north of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. (Supplied: Bureau of Meteorology)
The community is no stranger to unpredictable weather at this time of year and a cyclone shelter is available to residents during these kinds of systems.
There have been preliminary reports of flooding and uprooted trees but further assessments to determine the extent of the damage have yet to be made.
Tourists take shelter
Helen, from regional Victoria, is visiting the Cocos (Keeling) Islands for Christmas and has been taking cover in her accommodation.
“Everything is blowing horizontal, furious, rain and wind, the odd thunder and lightning. You wouldn’t want to be out there exposed at all,” she said.
“A few things flying around, although the locals have spent two days tying just about everything down, so there’s not, you know, roofing sheets and things flying about.
“They’ve been very precise and very clear and certainly no ambiguity about what we say we’ll potentially facing, so that’s good.”
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting high tides, heavy rainfall and strong ocean currents. (Supplied)
Helen said the community dinner planned for Christmas Day had been cancelled so plans for the rest of the day were likely to involve assisting with the clean-up.
“I think we might be helping clean up later today, because I’m sure there will be plenty of work to do,” she said.
“Well, we were to leave the island tomorrow, but that flight’s been cancelled. So we’ll go the day after, once all the clean-up’s done.”
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