Cyclone Alfred: Schools closed, public transport stopped – What we know about rare storm nearing Australian coast

Cyclone Alfred, a rare tropical cyclone accompanied by winds and rains, lashed parts of eastern Australia on Thursday. Due to the cyclone, schools have been closed and public transport has been stopped.

It is expected that Cyclone Alfred will cross the Queensland state coast between the Sunshine Coast region and the city of Gold Coast to the south early Saturday, according to a report by PTI citing Bureau of Meteorology manager Matt Collopy.

“The wind impacts, we're already seeing those start to develop on the exposed locations along our coast with gusts reaching 80-to-90 kph (50-to-56 mph). We are expecting those to continue to develop,” Collopy added.

Alfred will be the first cyclone to cross the coast near Brisbane after 1974 Cyclone Zoe hit Gold Coast causing heavy flooding. Cyclones are mostly witnessed in the tropical north of Queensland but are in the southeast region with a temperate climate and dense population.

It is estimated that nearly 4 million people are residing in the area expected to witness the cyclone, and up to 20,000 homes in Brisbane, a city built on a river floodplain, may experience flooding.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said 660 schools in southern Queensland and 280 schools in northern New South Wales were shut down on Thursday due to the worse weather conditions.

“My message to people, whether they be in southeast Queensland or northern New South Wales, is we are there to support you. We have your back,” the report quoted Albanese.

Public transport was stopped from Thursday, and hospitals performed only emergency surgeries.

Power outage

Due to strong winds, there was a power outage in 4,500 homes and businesses in northern New South Wales. The coast has been experiencing high tides and seas. A 12.3-meter high wave recorded at the Gold Coast beach on Wednesday night was a record for the area. The cyclone is slowly progressing towards the coast, the report cited meteorologist Jane Golding said.

“We'll have longer for the rain to fall and the wind to do the damage,” Golding said.