Australia's most powerful tropical cyclone in eight years lashed the nation's sparsely populated northwest coast with winds gusting to 289 kilometers (180 miles) per hour Friday but was weakening fast and no injuries were immediately reported.
Cyclone Ilsa crossed the Pilbara coast of Western Australia state as the most severe Category 5 storm, but it quickly weakened to a Category 3 system as it moved inland, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said.
