Millions of people are under emergency weather warnings as Australia’s east coast prepares for the first tropical cyclone to hit the region in 51 years.
Cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the coast just south of the Queensland capital of Brisbane – Australia’s third most populous city – in the early hours of Friday.
Experts say the worst of the cyclone could be felt south of the storm’s eye, along popular tourist beaches from the Gold Coast to northern New South Wales.
The rare storm is currently over the Pacific and tracking west with gusts of wind up to 81mph.
“Those are destructive winds,” said Matt Collopy of the Bureau of Meteorology.
Heavy rain and life-threatening flooding are expected when Alfred is set to make landfall later in the week.
“The waves, wind, rainfall and particularly the storm surge present significant risks,” Collopy added.
Cyclone Alfred is building off the east coast of Australia, with beaches closed ahead of expected flooding
Cyclones are common in Queensland’s tropical north but are rare in the state’s temperate and densely populated southeast corner.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was providing the Queensland government with 250,000 sandbags in addition to the 80,000 the military had already delivered.
He told reporters in Brisbane: “This is a rare event, to have a tropical cyclone in an area that is not classified as part of the tropics.”
Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said modeling showed that up to 20,000 homes in his city of more than three million people could experience some level of flooding.
Residents of Queensland collect sandbags as they make preparations for the cyclone
A cyclone refuge center is being established for people who have nowhere else to shelter during the storm.
Evacuation centres for longer-term stays are also being opened.
Schools are being closed, hospitals will not carry out non-urgent surgeries, and public transport will not run in the affected area.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli urged the public to prepare their homes and plan evacuation routes.
In total, 68 people have also been evacuated from South Stradbroke Island, which lies off the coast between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Crisafulli said: “This is a very rare event for southeast Queensland, I acknowledge that, but I’m asking Queenslanders to take it seriously and I want you to know that we are taking it seriously.”
In 1974, Cyclone Zoe crossed the coast at the southern end of the Gold Coast on the New South Wales border, causing extensive flooding.
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