A major storm has missed Australia's major iron ore port and crossed a sparsely populated stretch of the west coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology said in a statement Thursday that Cyclone Rusty was weakening as it tracked inland from the coast of Western Australia state but remained destructive with gusts up to 125 kph (78 mph).

Port Hedland was relatively unscathed by the storm that was gusting up to 230 kilometers (140 miles) per hour late Wednesday as it crossed the coast from the Indian Ocean to the south of the town.

Port Hedland residents were returning to their homes from storm shelters on Thursday after the bureau declared the danger there had passed. The iron ore export facilities were shut down on Wednesday for fear of damage.