Alfred raises flood risk as tropical storm whips Australian coast with wind and rain
A slow-moving tropical storm crossed islands off Australia's heavily populated eastern coast late Friday, lashing coastal suburbs with destructive winds and dumping heavy rain across the region.
Cyclone Alfred, which weakened to a tropical low weather system on Saturday, seems to have spared the region the worst of its potential impact, and while hundreds of thousands of homes were without power, relatively few rescues were required and damage was limited.
Flood is now considered to be the biggest risk and authorities urged residents to remain vigilant as forecasters predicted heavy rainfall for days to come.
'The rivers are full, the rain is continuing and expected to keep falling in the days ahead, and wind conditions are very high and extreme, particularly on the coast, particularly in the Byron Shire right up to the Queensland border,' said New South Wales Premier Chris Minns on Saturday.
Images showed severe erosion along some of the area's most popular tourist beaches. On the Gold Coast, the sea had carved 4 to 6 meter (13 to 19 foot) cliffs into the sand, undermining the foundations of beachside platforms.
Alfred was the most southerly cyclone to threaten the region since Tropical Cyclone Zoe in 1974. The storm's current strength is equivalent to a tropical depression in the Atlantic basin but its demotion to a tropical low will not alter its overall impact.
Alfred had initially been expected to hit on Thursday night, then Friday morning, and the extra delay raised anxiety levels among residents in an area where cyclones are rare.
By late Friday, the region was ready for the worst Alfred could offer, but on Saturday rain looked set to pose the biggest challenge. Forecasts say another 800 millimeters (31 inches) could fall in some areas in the next 24 hours.
Nearly 200 millimeters (8 inches) of rain drenched northern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland throughout Friday, according to the meteorology bureau's data – in some locations, more rain fell in 24 hours than normally falls in the whole of March.
The Northern Rivers in New South Wales was considered the most vulnerable to flooding, just three years after heavy rainfall saw rivers burst their banks causing major damage.
Before the storm's forecast arrival, Australian Defence Force personnel, state emergency services and police were pre-positioned in the area to reduce response times.
The delay in Alfred's arrival gave homeowners more time to prepare but also allowed sightseers to view its effects on the coast – including surfers who earlier this week braved waves that by Friday were too dangerous to surf.
Stuart Nettle, the editor of Swellnet, a forecaster service that operates 100 cameras near the coast, said Alfred had produced waves that will be talked about for years.
'The fourth and fifth of March are going to live on in infamy in the memory of Gold Coast surfers,' he said. 'Tropical Cyclone Alfred just sat there at the optimum distance and the optimum direction from the Gold Coast and delivered two days of exceptional waves. There'll be surfers talking about it for a long time to come.'
Few dared to enter the water Friday as waves lashed the coast, prompting warnings from authorities of fines of $10,000 (16,000 Australian dollars) for risky behavior.
Police had stern words for one teenager caught surfing and four others were also reprimanded for putting themselves and others in danger.
'The waves are horrendous, the beaches are hazardous,' said acting Gold Coast City Council Mayor Donna Gates. 'Please listen to us and stay away from the beaches. I keep repeating that because somehow, not everyone is listening.'
This story has been updated with additional information. CNN Meteorologist Mary Gilbert contributed reporting.
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