Residents were stacking sandbags on Wednesday to safeguard low-lying properties as a tropical cyclone approached the Australian east coast, marking the first such event in 51 years near Brisbane, the country’s third-largest city.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred is projected to make landfall between Brisbane, the Queensland state capital, and the tourist hub of Gold Coast to the south late Thursday or early Friday, according to Bureau of Meteorology manager Matt Collopy. The two cities form a continuous urban stretch, with their centers located 80 kilometers apart.
As of Wednesday, Alfred was positioned 400 kilometers east of Brisbane over the Pacific Ocean, moving westward with sustained winds of 95 kph and gusts reaching 130 kph. “Those are destructive winds,” Collopy stated, adding that the cyclone was expected to maintain its strength until landfall.
Queensland’s coastline has already been experiencing large swells and powerful waves for several days, causing severe coastal erosion and inundation. “These conditions will persist and likely intensify as the cyclone approaches,” Collopy said. Heavy rainfall and life-threatening flooding are anticipated in the coming days, with storm surges posing a significant risk.
The last tropical cyclone to hit the region was Cyclone Zoe in 1974, which made landfall at the southern tip of Gold Coast, near the New South Wales border, leading to widespread flooding. While cyclones are common in Queensland’s tropical north, they are rare in the temperate and densely populated southeastern region.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the federal government is supplying 250,000 sandbags to Queensland, in addition to the 80,000 already delivered by the military. “This is an unusual event for southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, which is why preparation is critical,” he said.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner warned that up to 20,000 homes in the city, which has a population of over 3 million, could face some level of flooding. Authorities are setting up a cyclone refuge at Brisbane’s showgrounds for those without shelter, along with longer-term evacuation centers.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli announced safety measures, including restrictions on boat movement without approval from the Brisbane harbor master starting Wednesday afternoon. Schools will close, non-urgent hospital surgeries will be postponed, and public transport services will be suspended in affected areas from Thursday.
Crisafulli urged residents to secure their homes and plan evacuation routes. Evacuations began Tuesday night, with 68 people already relocated from South Stradbroke Island, situated between Brisbane and Gold Coast, and more evacuations continuing.
“This is an exceptionally rare event for southeast Queensland,” Crisafulli emphasized. “But I urge everyone to take it seriously, as we certainly are.”
