Sydney, Feb 13 : Authorities have warned that a tropical cyclone moving towards the coast of Western Australia (WA) is rapidly intensifying and expected to bring very destructive winds and heavy rain.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said that severe tropical cyclone Zelia reached category four strength in the early hours of Thursday morning and is now expected to reach category five strength before crossing WA's northwest coast.

Forecasters had previously said that it would make landfall as a category three storm.

The BoM said on Thursday that the cyclone is forecast to bring "destructive wind gusts" to coastal communities in WA's Pilbara region as early as Thursday night.

It said that wind gusts of up to 290 kilometres per hour are likely as the cyclone crosses the coast and that intense rainfall may lead to flash flooding.

"Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide mark with damaging waves and dangerous flooding of some low-lying areas close to the shoreline," it said.

A cyclone watch and act warning has been issued for towns along a 700-kilometre stretch of coast. The town of Port Hedland, with a population of about 15,000, is in the middle of the warning zone.

Schools in the area have been closed and flights have been cancelled, with some major roads to be closed from 10:30 a.m. local time on Thursday. Supermarkets are working to get extra supplies into the region before all roads are cut off.

Barry Harrison from the State Emergency Service in Port Hedland told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that residents are "nervous" about the impact on the town, Xinhua news agency reported.

An extra 40 emergency services personnel as well as flood boats and aircraft, including a rescue helicopter, have been deployed to the Pilbara region.

Those living between Karratha and Bidyadanga, including Port Hedland, have been warned to watch for a dangerous storm tide as the cyclone rolls towards the coast.

/IANS