CANBERRA -(Dow Jones)- Tropical Cyclone Lua, located about 493 miles northwest of Port Hedland in the northeast Indian Ocean, will likely track eastwards towards Australia's Pilbara coast bringing destructive winds and heavy rainfall in coming days, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology warned Thursday. "Lua is expected to intensify into a severe tropical cyclone during Thursday and remain intense as it approaches the coast," the bureau said in a statement. While gales aren't expected in coastal areas during Thursday, they are expected to develop on Friday or early Saturday as the cyclone approaches the coast, bringing "destructive to very destructive winds" to the Pilbara's eastern coastal areas on Saturday, it said. Heavy rainfall is expected in coastal areas of the east Pilbara and west Kimberley today and Friday, it said. U.S.-based energy firm Apache Corp. (APA) said Wednesday it has stopped production at its Stag oil field offshore northwest Australia because of Cyclone Lua, while Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL.AU) Tuesday halted production at four oil fields off the northwest coast because of TC Lua. Meanwhile, the bureau issued a severe weather warning early Thursday for the west coast of the Northern Territory including Darwin port and city. A tropical low pressure system in the area is delivering heavy monsoonal rainfall and damaging winds, the bureau said. By Ray Brindal, Dow Jones Newswires; 612 62080902; ray.brindal@dowjones.com
