Thousands Told to Evacuate as Australia Braces for Powerful Cyclone
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The slow-moving tropical storm, named Alfred, is on track to bring dangerous winds and flooding along the coast of Queensland and New South Wales, including Brisbane.
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Fears of destruction as ‘erratic’ cyclone nears Australia
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated and some 84,000 households left in the dark as a rare tropical cyclone approaches Australia’s eastern coast.
Cyclone Alfred is expected to make landfall on Saturday morning between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast – known for beautiful beaches and top surf – as well as Brisbane, Australia’s third-biggest city.
The cyclone, the first to hit the area in 50 years, is expected to land as a category two system with wind speeds of up to 130km/h.
It has already caused flooding which authorities fear could worsen over the weekend. New South Wales police said on Friday that one man was missing after his vehicle was swept into a fast-flowing river.
Four million people across Queensland and northern New South Wales are in the firing line of the storm.
But its slow progress, described by weather experts as “walking pace” and “erratic”, has raised concerns of flash and riverine flooding in low-lying areas.
It is expected to dump as much as 800mm of rain in the coming days.
Stephen Valentine and his wife, who live in Logan city south of Brisbane, have prepared some 30 litres of water, food for themselves and their pets, and set up “protected rooms” in their home situated away from windows.
“At the moment we are as prepared as we can be for something that none of us have been through… Nothing has come this far south across the south,” said Mr Valentine, who grew up in the city.
“We would get the edge of a cyclone ever so often, but not to this level,” he added.
While Queensland isn’t a stranger to cyclones – it’s the most disaster-prone state in Australia – it’s rare they come so far south.
“These are tough times, but Australians are tough people, and we are resilient people,” said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday, echoing the Gold Coast’s acting Mayor Donna Gates, who has said Cyclone Alfred is a “scary proposition” for the region.
Nearly 1,000 schools have closed, public transport has been suspended and airports are shut. Flights aren’t expected to resume until Sunday at the earliest. Elective surgeries have also been cancelled.
The last time a cyclone of Alfred’s magnitude hit was in 1974, when Wanda hit in January and then two months later, Zoe crossed the coast.
Flooding though, is more common. In February 2022, thousands of homes were damaged along much of Australia’s east after heavy rain.
Authorities have been keen to prepare communities ahead of Cyclone Alfred. The council opened sandbag depots across the region to help residents protect their homes.
“It’s surreal. We know it’s coming, but it’s very quiet,” said Anthony Singh, a resident of the Brisbane suburb of West End. He waited for four hours on Wednesday to pick up sandbags to protect his home.
Fellow resident Mark Clayton, helped to co-ordinate the sandbag collection, shovelling more than 140 tonnes of sand.
“I think people are a bit apprehensive,” he says. “Are the buildings going to stay up, are the roofs going to stay on? People expect a lot of trees to come down and to lose power for an extended period of time.”
With supermarkets now shut and people mostly sheltering at home, there’s a lot of uncertainty as Australians wait for the storm to hit.
But some die-hard surfers have thrown caution to the increasing wind.
“This is what we look forward to,” said surfer Jeff Weatherall as he waited for a jet ski to pick him up from Kirra beach and carry him into the big waves. “This is the fifth day straight – I’ve done nothing but eat, sleep, surf and do it again.”
Kirra beach is famous for its breakers and surfers have been busy this week seizing the strong winds.
“There are people that are going to lose their houses, but at the moment, you’re taking the good of it all. This is just crazy surf,” said surfer Donnie Neal.
Meanwhile Albanese have warned people to take the cyclone warnings seriously.
“This isn’t a time for sightseeing or for seeing what it’s like to experience these conditions firsthand,” he said.
“Please stay safe. Be sensible.”
Additional reporting by Kelly Ng
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Cyclone Alfred LIVE updates: BoM forecasts storm to hit just north of Brisbane as heavy rainfall, strong wind batters the east coast; Lismore likely to flood tomorrow morning; PM to push election to May
Thank you for following our live coverage as Cyclone Alfred approaches the Queensland coast, and triggers evacuation orders in northern NSW.
We will continue our rolling coverage around 1am Brisbane local time, so do join us.
Stay safe and follow the emergency advice as we prepare for Alfred to arrive.
Here are some of today’s key developments:
How extensive the damage will be when Alfred hits is still unclear. Here is everything NSW and Queensland residents need to know as the situation progresses.
Brisbane City Council has just updated its flood map following Bureau of Meteorology predictions for intense rainfall and an increased likelihood for flash flooding as Cyclone Alfred nears the south-east Queensland coast.
The new mapping, released at 8.40pm tonight Brisbane time, includes overland flow and it has also updated storm surge chart, which shows 20,350 properties at risk of storm surge and flooding.
Flash flooding in Lismore on Friday night.
CREDIT:
NICK MOIR
“Residents are reminded every severe weather event is different and rainfall is difficult to predict,” the council wrote on social media.
“The flood map is for general awareness and is based on the best available information at the time.
“Even if your property isn’t marked as flooded, it could still be at risk.“
The updated flood map can be viewed here.
Brisbane City Council has ordered residents to to take shelter immediately as Cyclone Alfred is predicted to cross north of Brisbane overnight.
It advises residents to go to the strongest, safest part of the building and remain there. This will be away from big windows. It could be a bathroom, walk-in wardrobe, or hallway.
3:36
Cyclonic winds and tidal surges caused destruction across south-east Queensland ahead of Alfred’s landfall.
“The wind is very dangerous and will be very loud,” the statement reads.
“You will hear things breaking outside and hitting your house.
“Winds could stop suddenly if the eye of the tropical cyclone goes over. Very dangerous winds could start again quickly from a different direction.”
Four million people in south-east Queensland are sweating on Alfred’s arrival after the cyclone stalled. Alfred is set make landfall just north of Brisbane’s CBD as a category 1 cyclone on Saturday morning, 24 hours later than initially predicted.
It will be a sleepless night for many on the Gold Coast and north-east NSW with damaging gusts, heavy rain and flooding forecast to strike.
1:13
Island communities are bracing to be the first hit by Cyclone Alfred when it makes landfall.
Millions of people have anxiously hunkered down at home as they brace for the cyclone.
It will be the first cyclone to impact Queensland’s south-east since 1974 – when it finally arrives in Brisbane.
Alfred’s late slowdown will provide no respite, with the delay ensuring heavy rain and massive surf will hit South East Queensland and northern NSW for longer.
A fallen tree at the Rails Hotel in Byron Bay.
CREDIT:
KAIHLA MCCONNELL
You’ve probably heard about cyclones having “eyes” in the middle, and there being a period of quiet weather when the centre of the system passes overhead. But will this happen with Cyclone Alfred?
We asked the bureau directly and this is what they told us – with information current this evening.
Weatherzone image of Cyclone Alfred at 9.30pm AEDT on Friday.
“Currently a category 2 cyclone, Tropical Cyclone Alfred does not have a distinct, fully formed eye in the cloud structure, like that which a much stronger cyclone (category 3+) could develop,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
“Tropical Cyclone Alfred currently has an incomplete eye, and it does not have a clear eyewall.
“An approximate diameter for the incomplete eye is 80 km. This information may change overnight dependent on the movement and development of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.”
So, what does that mean for our experience of a quiet period while the storm is directly above us?
“There may not be an abrupt change into a quiet period, but rather one that will fade in and out. In this case, it will be difficult for people to notice an exact change time.”
As emergency alerts start rolling out across Brisbane and Redland Bay, Queensland health has shared some sweet advice for people feeling anxious tonight.
Queensland Health message.
Cyclone Alfred is hours from making landfall. Damaging winds are now predicted to hit Brisbane in early daylight hours. As the system closes in, we’d like to know what you’re seeing from your place.
Video and photos can be sent through the box below. Please include the suburb you’re in, and leave details if you’d like to speak to a reporter. Stay safe.
Staying with health advice for a moment, Associate Professor Ian Wright at Western Sydney University warns that flood waters can be highly contaminated.
Flooding of urban areas often disrupts sewerage systems and triggers faecal contamination of flood waters.
Also, the electricity, telecommunication and drinking water systems can also fail, due to flood damage.
These problems can last for weeks after the flood peak has passed and the clean-up work begins.
I urge people to limit contact with floodwaters and post-flood residues.
Also, care needs to be taken if people have any cuts or scratches that may allow flood-contaminated waters to cause infections.
Remember that young, elderly and others with weaker immune systems will need to be particularly careful. Having a first aid kit at-hand will be important.
If possible, have bottled water available for an emergency. Or be prepared to boil water. If you can, while you have clean drinking water available, fill empty bottles before floods may eventuate.
Queensland Health has advice for the tens of thousands of people currently without power. The food in your fridge may only last for four hours, depending on what it is, before it should be thrown out.
“Dispose of … refrigerated food that has been left unrefrigerated or otherwise above 5 degrees for more than four hours, and frozen food after 48 hours if the freezer is full, or after 24 hours if the freezer is half full,” the health department says.
“If frozen food has partially thawed, do not re-freeze. The food should be eaten as soon as possible or disposed of.”
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