Millions of Australians Brace for Impact of Rare and Dangerous Tropical Cyclone Alfred: Mandatory Evacuation Orders Issued
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Millions of Australians have been told to ‘prepare for the worst case scenario’ and brace for the impact of a rare and dangerous tropical cyclone expected to hit the Australian east coast by Friday morning local time.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred has been closely monitored by meteorologists at the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) since last week, with its path a bit uncertain. However, within the last 24 hours, Australian authorities have issued mandated evacuation orders for residents along the east coast, as red flag warnings have been put into place forecasting high storm surges and major flooding.
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Tropical Cyclone Alfred Sets Its Eye on Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales
Currently, a Category 2 tropical cyclone, meteorologists have indicated that they will not rule out the possibility that Alfred may erupt into a dangerous Category 3 storm before making landfall, as the powerful cyclone sets its eye on southern Queensland and northern New South Wales and begins to move over warm waters, which typically fuel and strengthen tropical systems.
Flood warnings have been put into place by the BoM as of this morning, the ‘first to be issued’ by the agency for the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, with a secondary warning issued for the Bellinger River at Thora from Friday afternoon through Saturday as meteorologists expect major flooding in the area, particularly on Saturday.
“The timing and location of the heaviest falls will depend on the track of the cyclone,” the BoM said. “This situation is being closely monitored, and warnings will be updated as necessary.”
Destructive wind gusts exceeding up to 100 mph are expected to develop by Thursday afternoon, prompting officials to urge residents to “get out while they can.” With the aid of Australian police knocking on each residential door along the coast and those within direct line of Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s path, evacuations are critical for survival, according to
Queensland
Premier, David Crisafulli, clarifying that the area of impact is a heavily populated part of the state, where approximately 2.5 million residents live.
“If you’re told to leave, you should leave. I can’t be more blunt than that,” Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told ABC News, calling on residents to heed evacuation orders. “We’re dealing with a very heavily populated part of the state, a state that hasn’t seen a cyclone for many years, in fact, many decades, get this close to the coast,” he continued.
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Officials Issue Closures and Warn of Travel Disruption Across the East Coast
Approximately 122 school closures across the north of New South Wales are in effect as of today, according to New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, urging residents to “bunker down for the next 48 hours.”
Theme parks across the popular tourist destination of Australia’s Gold Coast have also closed in anticipation of the major cyclone, in addition to the cancelation and postponement of both the Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned WPGA Championship event and the season-opening matches of the Australian Football League in Brisbane.
Across Brisbane and New South Wales, public transportation has been fully suspended, which includes buses, trains, CityCat, and ferries. No services will resume until the storm has fully passed, and safety assessments have been implemented.
Widespread warnings issued by the BoM cover a large swathe of Australia’s east coast, which includes the areas of Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in New South Wales, including Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay, and Ballin, but not including Grafton.
Concerns are “when” Tropical Cyclone Alfred will make landfall. If it’s during high tide on Friday morningmeteorologists have warned that extremely dangerous storm surges will develop along the coast, flooding low-lying areas and putting homes and properties at risk.
“There is a chance this cyclone will cross in the middle of the night with a high tide. That is not the time to be making your evacuation plan; now is the time,” warned Crisafulli.
Australian officials have deployed emergency management teams in advance of the storm’s arrival and ask that all residents and visitors stay up to date with warnings and evacuation orders and avoid traveling as the storm swiftly approaches.
It’s been more than five decades since a
tropical cyclone
of this magnitude has made landfall on Australia’s east coast. The last cyclone to hit the coastal communities was in 1974, when Cyclone Zoe made landfall, flooding coastal communities within the city of Brisbane and the New South Wales Northern Rivers region.
We will continue to update you on Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s path and landfall.
