Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has cautioned residents against becoming complacent about the dangers of Cyclone Alfred, even though it was downgraded to a tropical low on Saturday morning. The storm stalled just a few kilometers from the mainland but continues to pose risks of heavy rainfall and damaging winds, The Guardian reported.
Authorities have maintained severe weather warnings, advising residents in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales to stay indoors. On Friday, a 61-year-old man was swept off a bridge by fast-moving floodwaters near Dorrigo, NSW. Emergency crews briefly made contact with him as he clung to a tree, but officials later confirmed he was “unfortunately washed downstream.”
Albanese urged people to avoid driving through floodwaters and emphasized that the storm remains dangerous. “[This system’s] impact will be serious and will intensify over coming hours and indeed over coming days,” he stated. “The impacts are already being felt, and there is worse to come in the hours ahead. We must remain vigilant,” he added.
Storm Triggers Widespread Power Outages
The storm left over 250,000 homes in Queensland and 43,000 in NSW without electricity on Saturday. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli described it as the “single biggest loss we have seen in over a decade.” Power was also knocked out at the Gold Coast University Hospital, forcing it to rely on backup generators.
Albanese confirmed that six additional generators were being transported to Lismore to help restore power. Meanwhile, NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe warned that it could take “several days” before electricity is fully restored. “You are going to have to be patient,” she said. “We cannot risk the lives of those workers. But know that we are doing everything we can, as quickly as we can,” she added.
Essential Energy, the state-run electricity provider, said fallen trees and debris must be cleared before powerlines can be assessed and repaired. Authorities reported that around 740 people had taken refuge in 21 evacuation centers by Saturday morning, with 20,000 residents under evacuation warnings.
Cyclone Alfred Downgraded, But Heavy Rain Persists
At 6 a.m. local time, the Bureau of Meteorology downgraded Cyclone Alfred again, effectively canceling cyclone warnings. However, weather alerts remained in place from Noosa to Brisbane. The storm, now classified as “ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred,” stalled in Moreton Bay near Bribie Island, about 55 km north of Brisbane, before shifting further inland.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury noted that the system had barely moved from its position between 6 a.m. and noon. “We do expect it to make that coastal crossing today,” she said.
Meteorologist Matthew Callopy highlighted that extreme rainfall is now the primary concern. “Rainfall totals of over 250mm have already been observed around the Scenic Rim, and we’ve seen widespread totals of 100mm to 200mm both on the Gold Coast but also stretching up into the southern parts of Brisbane,” he noted.
“As the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Alfred move inland, we will see more tropical moisture streaming across southeast Queensland, and we are expecting widespread totals of 300-500mm, with localized amounts of 800mm-plus possible in some areas,” Callopy added.
With severe weather conditions persisting, authorities continue to urge residents to remain alert and take necessary precautions.