Tropical Cyclone Grant is forecasted to stay as a category one storm while it moves just north of a small cluster of islands off the coast of Western Australia today. A Cyclone Watch and Act alert has been issued for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and residents are advised to stay indoors on Christmas Day. Wind gusts could reach up to 100 km/h, accompanied by heavy rainfall and the risk of flash flooding. Around 600 people live on these islands, which are located over 2,000 kilometers from the north-western coast of WA, roughly halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka. The cluster includes 27 islands, but only West and Home islands are populated. The local community is familiar with unpredictable weather during this season, and there is a cyclone shelter available for residents during such storms.
General
Christmas Day cyclone greets remote Australian islands
