Western Australian residents have been told to brace for destructive wind gusts and heavy rain resulting in possible flooding as a “severe” tropical cyclone threatens to form off the state’s coast.

The clean-up is continuing in WA's Pilbara region for towns impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Zelia, but the road to recovery is still far from over. Major highways connecting towns with the rest of the state remain closed amid concerns food supplies are running low further north.