MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Rio Tinto has begun clearing ships from two Western Australian ports due to high seas as a result of tropical cyclones Tahliah and Vince, it said on Tuesday.

Rio Tinto , said on Tuesday it had begun clearing iron ore ships from two Western Australian ports as two tropical cyclones offshore swell seas and complicate its efforts to repair infrastructure damaged by a previous cyclone last month.

Rio Tinto Group’s iron ore shipments could take a further hit this quarter after operations at two ports in Western Australia’s Pilbara region were hampered by tropical cyclones.

Rio Tinto Group, the world’s biggest iron ore exporter, warned shipments of the steelmaking material will be impacted this quarter after a tropical cyclone in Australia’s northwest damaged a port facility.

Rio Tinto's lithium push and copper growth create strong upside potential. Find out why RIO stock remains appealing despite lower iron ore prices.

Two tropical cyclones off the coast of Western Australia have complicated Rio Tinto’s efforts to repair infrastructure damaged by a previous cyclone last month. The company said on Tuesday it had begun clearing iron ore ships from two Western Australian ports as the cyclones swell seas,