Alfred tropical cyclone has already been degraded to the status of tropical lowlands. Despite this, the inhabitants of the south-east coast of Australia cannot yet breathe a sigh of relief. The element did not manage to go ashore, and has already contributed to the appearance of extensive floods, winds and breaking power lines.
During the night from Friday to Saturday, Alfred flashed over the Islands off the coast of Queensland. As reported by the meteorological office there, it can hit continental australia in the next few hours.
Readiness services
Emergency services, especially from New South Wales, received a lot of reports about destruction and calls for rescue.
– requests for help come in densely and quickly. We start working, we have people ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week – assured Jason Jones, commander of the New South Wales State Emergency Service unit in Nambucca Shire.
Thousands of people were covered by preventive evacations. According to local media, about a quarter of a million inhabitants can be free of electricity, because the gusty wind hosted power lines. Although at the moment there are no reports of fatalities or victims, warnings and appeals have been made to the residents of the most endangered regions.
The forecast route of the former tropical cyclone AlfredJTWC
“Very rare event”
Although meteorologists are of the opinion that Brisbane and Gold Coast, Queensland will bypass the most dangerous phenomena, on Saturday very heavy rainfall is forecast there. In turn, Lismore in New South Wales has already noted record amounts of flood water.
According to the authorities of Brisbane, Alfred is a “very rare event.” The last cyclone that hit this place appeared over 50 years ago. The city of about 2.7 million inhabitants also felt the unpleasant consequences of cyclones in 1990 and 2019.
Source of the main photo: PAP/EPA/DAVE HUNT