The east side of Australia is getting ready for a rare and strong storm that is coming towards Brisbane, which is the third most crowded city in the country. Authorities have sent out urgent warnings telling people who live in places that are likely to flood to leave as the bad weather gets worse.
Millions of people live along the coasts of Queensland and New South Wales, where storm warnings stretch for more than 500 kilometers. A category-2 storm called Tropical Cyclone Alfred Australia is due to hit land early Friday morning. It will bring dangerous winds and heavy rain.
Wind gusts could hit 155 km/h, which is fast enough to damage trees, mobile homes, and boats badly. Some places may get more than 800 mm of rain, which is more than the average monthly amount for March and could cause life-threatening flash floods.
This storm is one of the most southerly cyclones to hit the east coast of Australia in more than fifty years. storm Zoe, which hit Brisbane in 1974 and caused serious floods in the city and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, was the last storm of this size to hit the area.
Since then, Brisbane’s population has more than doubled, which makes people worry about the damage Tropical Cyclone Alfred Australia could do, especially in places south of its path. Experts warn that popular tourist destinations along the Gold Coast and northern NSW could be hardest hit.
According to Darrell Strauss, a coastal management researcher at Griffith University, the combination of storm surge, high waves, and coastal erosion presents a significant threat. “We haven’t seen anything quite like this for a good 50 years,” he said, highlighting the potential for widespread destruction along the coastline.
As of Wednesday, Tropical Cyclone Alfred Australia was approximately 400 kilometers off the coast, moving westward with winds reaching speeds of 120 km/h. There is a greater chance of another disaster like the devastating floods in 2022, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). This is because creeks and rivers in northern NSW are likely to flood. Many homes that were damaged by the storms are still not livable, and the people who lived there before are still living in temporary housing.
In Brisbane, authorities are bracing for the worst. Residents have begun sandbagging their homes and stocking up on essential supplies as warnings about potential flooding intensify. The Lord Mayor’s office has projected that up to 20,000 properties in Brisbane could be affected by storm surge or flash floods.
Due to dangerous surf, beaches along the coast of Queensland and northern New South Wales have been closed. Waves higher than 5 meters (16 feet) have been seen, and some storm waves could be as high as 10 meters (32 feet). Premier David Crisafulli of Queensland has told people who live in seaside places that are at risk to leave as soon as they are told to. “If this system crosses on high tide in the middle of the night, the last place you want to be is in your home,” he warned.
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With the impending cyclone, significant disruptions have already begun. Major sporting events have been canceled, and schools in affected regions will remain closed on Thursday and Friday. The government is also telling people to tie down outdoor furniture and other open items so they don’t become flying objects in the strong winds.
As people in the area get ready for the effects of Tropical Cyclone Alfred Australia, emergency services are still on high watch. The next few days will be very important for figuring out the full effects of this very rare east coast hurricane, which could cause widespread floods, high winds, and storm waves.