Australia is bracing for the impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which is expected to make landfall on Saturday morning near Brisbane, threatening hundreds of thousands of people. The cyclone has already caused widespread flooding and power outages, with tens of thousands of homes at risk in Queensland and New South Wales.
As of Friday afternoon, 15,000 evacuation orders had been issued, while over 38,000 people in Queensland were without power and 46,000 in New South Wales. Local officials warned that the storm’s slow movement could amplify its impact on coastal communities by prolonging rainfall and storm surges.
The cyclone is expected to bring damaging wind gusts of up to 75 miles per hour and life-threatening flash flooding. It would be the first cyclone to make landfall in Queensland since 1974, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology.
Hundreds of schools and airports have been closed, public transportation suspended, and grocery store shelves emptied as residents prepare for the storm. Despite the warnings, some surfers are drawn to the coast to ride the cyclone-powered waves.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/world/australia/cyclone-alfred-brisbane-australia.html