Cyclone Alfred, downgraded to tropical low, nears Australia
Cyclone Alfred weakened into a tropical low Saturday as it neared the rain- and wind-lashed eastern coast of Australia where hundreds of thousands of properties were without power.
The former tropical cyclone lay about 65 kilometers off the coast of the Queensland capital, Brisbane, government forecasters said in a final update.
Now without gale-force winds, the storm was slowly moving toward the coast and delivering intense rain before it was expected to cross over the mainland later in the day.
"Despite its weakening, heavy rainfall is likely to continue over southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales during the weekend," the bureau of meteorology said.
The rains could still lead to "dangerous and life-threatening" flash flooding along the 400-kilometer stretch of coastline straddling the two states.
One man was still missing after his four-wheel-drive vehicle was swept off a bridge into a rain-swollen river the previous day in northern New South Wales.
He clambered out of the vehicle and tried in vain to cling to a branch in the river.
"The man was swept from the tree and seen to go beneath the water where he has not been sighted since," police said in a statement.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there were "grave concerns" for the man.
"While it has been downgraded, very serious risks remain, so it is important that people do not take this downgrading as a reason for complacency," Albanese said at a news conference.
"Its impact will be serious and will intensify over coming hours and indeed over coming days," he said.
Rain still posed a threat to engorged rivers across the region, bureau meteorologist Daniel Hayes told AFP, with some rivers approaching major flood levels.
In Lismore — a northern New South Wales city hit by deadly floods in 2022 — the Wilsons River might threaten a 10.6-meter protective levee, he said.
"It is still quite possible that it will reach the levee and then go over the top," he said.
A "staggering" number of more than 239,000 properties in southeast Queensland were without power on Saturday morning after winds toppled power lines or blew trees and debris into them, utility group Energex said.
It had been too dangerous for crews to work in some blacked-out areas, Energex Brisbane area manager Chris Graham told national broadcaster ABC.
Another 39,000 homes and businesses were without power in northern New South Wales, regional provider Essential Energy said, warning that floods could complicate repair operations.
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Voice of America
09-03-2025
- Voice of America
Tropical low tracks west across Australian east coast leaving 1 dead and several injured
Flooding rains lashed the Australian east coast even though it avoided the destructive winds of its first tropical cyclone in 51 years, officials said Saturday. One person was confirmed dead and several were injured. Tropical Cyclone Alfred had been expected to become the first cyclone to cross the Australian coast near the Queensland state capital of Brisbane, Australia's third-most populous city, since 1974. But it weakened Saturday to a tropical low, which is defined as carrying sustained winds of less than 63 kph. The cyclone's remnants crossed the coast late Saturday 55 kilometers north of Brisbane and will continue to track west across the inland bringing heavy rain, the Bureau of Meteorology said in a statement. 'The real threat now is from that locally heavy-to-intense rainfall, which may lead to flash and riverine flooding,' bureau manager Matt Collopy said. Cyclones are common in Queensland's tropical north but are rare in the state's temperate and densely populated southeast corner that borders New South Wales state. A 61-year-old man who disappeared in a flooded river near the New South Wales town of Dorrigo was confirmed as the first casualty of the crisis when his body was recovered on Saturday, police said. Two military trucks involved in the emergency response rolled over in the town of Tregeagle in New South Wales on Saturday, injuring 13 defense personnel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Sunday. One truck left the road and rolled several times into a paddock and the other truck tipped on its side while swerving to avoid a collision. Of the 32 Brisbane-based military personnel in the trucks, six sustained serious injuries, he said. The injured were taken to hospitals and all were expected to recover, Defense Minister Richard Marles said. A woman sustained minor injuries when an apartment building lost its roof in the Queensland border city of Gold Coast on Friday, police said. The woman was one of 21 people who were evacuated from the building. A couple sustained minor injuries when a tree crashed through the ceiling of their Gold Coast bedroom during strong winds and rain on Thursday night, officials said. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said 330,000 homes and businesses had lost power due to the storm since Thursday. No other natural disaster had created a bigger blackout in the state's history. New South Wales reported as many as 45,000 premises without electricity on Saturday. But tens of thousands had been reconnected by late in the day, officials said. Rivers were flooding in Queensland and New South Wales after days of heavy rain, the meteorology bureau said. The dead man recovered on Saturday was the only fatality among 36 flood rescues carried out by emergency teams in northern New South Wales in recent days, most involving vehicles attempting to cross floodwaters, police said.
Voice of America
08-03-2025
- Voice of America
Cyclone Alfred, downgraded to tropical low, nears Australia
Cyclone Alfred weakened into a tropical low Saturday as it neared the rain- and wind-lashed eastern coast of Australia where hundreds of thousands of properties were without power. The former tropical cyclone lay about 65 kilometers off the coast of the Queensland capital, Brisbane, government forecasters said in a final update. Now without gale-force winds, the storm was slowly moving toward the coast and delivering intense rain before it was expected to cross over the mainland later in the day. "Despite its weakening, heavy rainfall is likely to continue over southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales during the weekend," the bureau of meteorology said. The rains could still lead to "dangerous and life-threatening" flash flooding along the 400-kilometer stretch of coastline straddling the two states. One man was still missing after his four-wheel-drive vehicle was swept off a bridge into a rain-swollen river the previous day in northern New South Wales. He clambered out of the vehicle and tried in vain to cling to a branch in the river. "The man was swept from the tree and seen to go beneath the water where he has not been sighted since," police said in a statement. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there were "grave concerns" for the man. "While it has been downgraded, very serious risks remain, so it is important that people do not take this downgrading as a reason for complacency," Albanese said at a news conference. "Its impact will be serious and will intensify over coming hours and indeed over coming days," he said. Rain still posed a threat to engorged rivers across the region, bureau meteorologist Daniel Hayes told AFP, with some rivers approaching major flood levels. In Lismore — a northern New South Wales city hit by deadly floods in 2022 — the Wilsons River might threaten a 10.6-meter protective levee, he said. "It is still quite possible that it will reach the levee and then go over the top," he said. A "staggering" number of more than 239,000 properties in southeast Queensland were without power on Saturday morning after winds toppled power lines or blew trees and debris into them, utility group Energex said. It had been too dangerous for crews to work in some blacked-out areas, Energex Brisbane area manager Chris Graham told national broadcaster ABC. Another 39,000 homes and businesses were without power in northern New South Wales, regional provider Essential Energy said, warning that floods could complicate repair operations.
Voice of America
05-03-2025
- Voice of America
Australians in some east coast areas urged to evacuate for 'very rare' cyclone
Australia braced for a rare east coast tropical cyclone that is swirling toward Brisbane, its third-most populous city, with authorities urging residents in flood-prone suburbs to evacuate soon. Storm warnings on Wednesday stretched for more than 500 kilometers across the coast in the states of Queensland and New South Wales, impacting millions of people. Destructive wind gusts of up to 155 kph could develop from Thursday afternoon and tropical cyclone Alfred is expected to land as a Category 2 storm early on Friday morning near Brisbane, Queensland's capital. Total rainfall from the event could be as much as 800 mm in some regions, more than the average total for March and could cause life-threatening flash flooding, the Bureau of Meteorology said. "This is a very rare event for southeast Queensland. ... It has been many decades since this part of the state experienced (a cyclone)," Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told reporters. He called on residents to heed evacuation orders. "If you are in a storm tide zone or you're in an area where you know there is riverine flooding, you really need to consider and think about your evacuation plan now," Crisafulli said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said heavy-lift helicopters have been deployed and offered to "provide whatever resources are required" for the state governments. Many residents have left their homes as authorities rush to open evacuation centers. Sandbags are in short supply and supermarket shelves have been stripped bare as people stock up on essentials. Southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales were last hit by a cyclone more than half a century ago in 1974. The last time a cyclone threatened Brisbane was in 1990, but the system tracked south just before reaching the city. Schools in southeast Queensland will close and public transport will shut down on Thursday and Friday. A total of 122 schools in the north of New South Wales will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, and vulnerable residents will be urged to relocate by Thursday morning, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said. "We need to bunker down over the next 48 hours and get through what may be a very difficult time," he told reporters. Qantas said it had canceled a number of flights from southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, and more were likely over the coming days. The Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned WPGA Championship event was called off and the Australian Football League has postponed two matches in southern Queensland.
