Cyclone batters Australian coast

ROUGH CUT, NO REPORTER NARRATION

A tropical cyclone hit Australia's west coast on Saturday, packing winds of more than 250 kms (155 miles) per hour.

Tropical Cyclone Lua has been upgraded to a Category 4, the second most severe on the Australian scale.

It crossed the West Australian coast in a sparsely populated area north of Port Hedland in the early afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology said. Heavy rainfall and a very dangerous storm tide with damaging waves and flooding are also expected.