Australia has prepared for a rare East Coast tropical cyclone that spins towards Brisbane, its third largest population, and authorities urge residents to evacuate in suburbs that are prone to flooding.
The storm warning extended more than 500 kilometers across the coast of Queensland and New South Wales on Wednesday, affecting millions of people.
From Thursday afternoon, destructive gusts of winds could develop to 155 km/h, with tropical cyclone Alfred expected to land in a Category 2 storm near the Queensland capital Brisbane in the early hours of Friday.
The Meteorological Bureau said the event could have a total rainfall of up to 800 mm, exceeding the average total in March, potentially leading to life-threatening flash flooding.
“This is a very rare event for Southeast Queensland … It has been decades since this part of the state has been around for this decades. [a cyclone],” Queensland Prime Minister David Crisafulli told reporters.
He called on residents to pay attention to evacuation orders.
“If you’re in a storm surge area, or you’re in an area where you know the river floods, you really need to think about and consider your evacuation plan right now,” Crisafulli said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the heavy helicopters had been deployed and proposed to “provide any resources needed.”
Many residents left their homes when authorities rushed to open the evacuation center. Sandbags were in short supply, but supermarket shelves were stripped because people stocked up on essentials.
The last hurricane was hit by a hurricane before 1974 in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales. The last threat of the hurricane Brisbane threatened 1990 in 1990, but the system tracked the south before it reached the city.
Schools in southeast Queensland will be closed and public transport will be closed Thursday and Friday.
NEW Prime Minister Chris Minns said a total of 122 schools in northern New South Wales will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, with vulnerable residents relocating on Thursday morning.
“We need to put down the bunker in the next 48 hours and get through what can be very difficult times,” he told reporters.
Qantas said it has canceled many flights from southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, with more likely to be available in the next few days.
The WPGA Championship, jointly approved by the Women’s European Tour, was held, and the Australian Football League postponed two matches in southern Queensland.
