Dramatic footage shows parts of a remote town underwater in WA's north west after ex-tropical cyclone Zelia turned streets into rivers across the Pilbara region.

Tropical Cyclone Zelia has crossed the Australian coast, unleashing strong winds and heavy rain but a key mining hub has been spared the worst of the impact.

The storm is expected to make landfall Friday afternoon, with wind gusts of up to 180 miles per hour. A port crucial to the global economy has shut down.