Cyclone Alfred latest: More than 200 flights cancelled as ‘extremely rare’ Category 2 storm nears Australian coast
Australia is bracing for severe flooding as Cyclone Alfred nears, with the rare storm on the country’s eastern coast expected to bring torrential rain, destructive winds, and storm surges.
The tropical cyclone is now forecast to make landfall early on Saturday, after its progress towards the coast dramatically slowed.
Officials previously described a slow passage of the storm as the “worst case scenario”, meaning a longer period of very heavy rainfall as the cyclone straddles the coast.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has urged residents to exercise caution, saying that while the cyclone “has slowed up somewhat… That is not all good news.”
Authorities are searching for a possible missing jetskier off the northern New South Wales coast, as rough seas pose life-threatening risks.
The federal government has delivered over 300,000 sandbags to Brisbane to mitigate flood damage. However, shortages have led some residents to use potting mix as an alternative.
Strong winds have already cut power to thousands of homes, and more than 200 flights have been suspended. Supermarkets are stripped of essentials, and hospitals are limiting procedures to emergencies.
