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06-03-2025
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Cyclone Alfred latest: Australia cancels more than 200 flights as rare Category 2 storm nears east coast
People on the projected path of Cyclone Alfred have been asked to "act now" and leave before the situation gets worse as an 'extremely rare' Category 2 storm barrels towards Australia's southeastern coast. 'There is a chance this cyclone will cross in the middle of the night with a high tide. That is not the time to be making your evacuation plan, now is the time,' Queensland premier David Crisafulli warned. Brisbane is shutting down trains, buses and ferry services from Wednesday and several matches and events have been cancelled in Queensland and New South Wales (NSW). Alfred is now about 325km east of Brisbane, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). It is moving towards the southeast Queensland coast at 16kmph. There's a concern that Alfred could slow down to 11kmph, which would be the 'worst case scenario', Higgins Storm Chasing's Thomas Hinterdorfer told The Courier-Mail. The storm is expected to make landfall on Thursday or Friday north of Brisbane, bringing more than half a metre of rain, flooding and destructive winds. Alfred is the first cyclone to directly impact Brisbane since Nancy in 1990. Cyclone Alfred 'extremely rare event,' Queensland premier warns Cyclone Alfred path and forecast Map: Rainfall forecast from Cyclone Alfred Elderly woman injured in dangerous Gold Coast surf Buses and trains in Brisbane to shut down tonight ahead of Cyclone Alfred 05:06 , Namita Singh The Gold Coast is expected to face the worst of Cyclone Alfred's impact before the storm makes landfall, acting mayor Donna Gates has warned. Ms Gates said the cyclone's unpredictable movement has led to uncertainty over its exact timing, though it is now expected to cross the coast either on Friday evening or early Saturday, reported the Guardian. 'Cyclone Alfred is extremely erratic. It is now moving towards the coast but more slowly, likely now to cross on Saturday morning. But given it is so erratic, we have been warned that there is still a possibility that it might be Friday evening,' she said. 'So, the worst impact for the Gold Coast is likely to be before the cyclone crosses.' Wind speeds could reach 100kmph on Friday, with Redlands and the Gold Coast at risk of sea levels rising up to 1.5m above the highest astronomical tide. Heavy to intense rainfall is forecast from Thursday night through to Saturday, with cumulative totals expected to reach 800mm. Ms Gates also cautioned residents about the dangers of flash flooding and rising river levels.'People need to know both of those outcomes can be life-threatening,' she said. 04:56 , Namita Singh Cyclone Alfred is set to unleash destructive winds and torrential rain across Australia's east coast, with gusts expected to exceed 125kmph near Brisbane by this evening if the storm moves within 100km of the shore. Strong winds capable of toppling trees and damaging smaller structures have already caused power outages along parts of the New South Wales north coast. Flights in and out of Brisbane have been cancelled, and schools along the storm's path have been shut. Flood warnings are in effect as far south as Gloucester, with Barrington Tops recording over 200mm of rainfall in the past week. Heavy downpours are expected to intensify on Thursday, with 24-hour totals likely to surpass 100mm across affected regions. Wind gusts exceeding 90kmph are forecast between Double Island Point, north of the storm surge, and Grafton to the south, as authorities urge residents to prepare for dangerous conditions. 04:47 , Namita Singh Cyclone Alfred has stalled off Australia's east coast, prompting widespread closures and emergency preparations as authorities brace for heavy flooding and destructive winds. Initially expected to make landfall early on Friday, the category-two storm is now forecast to reach the Queensland coast near Brisbane by Friday evening, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. As of 10am on Thursday, the cyclone was positioned 280km east of Brisbane and 260km northeast of the Gold Coast, moving westward at a sluggish 10kmph. Despite its distance, Alfred's impact is already being felt, with towering waves and hazardous weather battering the New South Wales north coast and much of Queensland's southern coastline. Footage has surfaced of massive swells along the Gold Coast, where waves exceeding 12m in height have been reported. In anticipation of severe flooding, officials have shut down airports, schools, and public transport, while residents have rushed to stockpile supplies and fortify their homes with sandbags. 04:28 , Namita Singh As Tropical Cyclone Alfred barrels toward Australia's eastern coast, residents from Brisbane to northern New South Wales are bracing for a storm event not seen in over half a century. The cyclone, currently a Category 2 system, is expected to make landfall between the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast early Friday, bringing destructive winds, life-threatening flooding, and coastal erosion to some of Australia's most densely populated areas. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Alfred could possibly reach a Category 3 status but the chances of that remain low. However, the storm was expected to remain on the stronger end of Category 2 when it makes landfall, reports our Asia climate correspondent Stuti Mishra: Cyclone Alfred: What's making the storm unusual and why are forecasters concerned? 04:20 , Namita Singh Several Australian airports on the southeastern coast have closed their terminals while airlines have cancelled flights as a Category 2 cyclone continues to barrel towards the country. The 'extremely rare' Tropical Cyclone Alfred is causing severe travel disruption in the country as it draws near to the southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales coast. The area covered by the Cyclone Alfred warning zone stretches approximately 450-500 km along the east coast of Australia, from Double Island Point in Queensland to Ballina in New South Wales. Alfred is forecast to make landfall early Friday between Maroochydore and Coolangatta as a Category 2 cyclone. Report: Flights cancelled as several airports shut amid Cyclone Alfred warnings 03:58 , Namita Singh A towering 12.3m wave was recorded off Main Beach on the Gold Coast overnight as Tropical Cyclone Alfred edged south, slowing in its approach. It marks the largest wave observed from the site since 1996, according to Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Dean Narramore. Last year, an 18m wave struck Tasmania's west coast in August, setting a new record for Australia's highest wave in over a decade. Mr Narramore warned that even more powerful swells could develop in the coming days as the cyclone progresses, reported Australian ABC News. The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts Cyclone Alfred to make landfall later on Friday between Maroochydore and Coolangatta. 03:57 , Namita Singh About 4,000 properties in the rural town of Lennox Head, about 750km (466 miles) north of Sydney, are without power after snapped tree branches fell on power lines, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told ABC News. Qantas and Virgin Australia have cancelled several flights into Brisbane, the airport's website showed, though the airport remained open. Airport terminals at the tourist city of Gold Coast and Ballina have been closed. Hundreds of schools in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales were closed on Thursday, while public transport in Brisbane has been suspended. Alfred has been called by officials a 'very rare event' for Brisbane, Queensland's state capital, with the city last hit by a cyclone more than half a century ago in 1974. The city of around 2.7 million had near misses from cyclones in 1990 in 2019. 03:45 , Namita Singh Storm warnings on Thursday stretched for more than 500km (311 miles) across the northeast coast, as giant seas whipped up by the cyclone eroded beaches, and officials urged residents in flood-prone areas to evacuate soon. Cyclone Alfred stalled off the coast overnight, said Dean Narramore, forecaster at Australia's weather bureau. Mr Narramore said the stalling could result in "a longer and prolonged period of heavy rainfall, particularly in northern New South Wales" leading to life-threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain from the weather system has already drenched some regions before the cyclone's landfall, Narramore said. Sara Robertson and her family have moved all their valuables from their home in the rural town of Murwillumbah to a motel ahead of the storm. "I'm glad we've got a little bit more of a breather, feeling very tired today and we still have a lot to do," Ms Robertson told ABC News after moving computers and electronics into the motel. 03:36 , Namita Singh Cyclone Alfred has stalled off Australia's east coast, delaying its expected landfall, as officials shut airports, schools and public transport. Queensland residents are stockpiling supplies and sandbagging homes against likely flooding when the category-two storm hits. The storm is now expected to make landfall by Friday evening near Brisbane, Australia's third-most populous city, the Bureau of Meteorology said in its latest update, compared with a prior projection of a landfall by early Friday. The storm's destructive reach will stretch across the border regions of the states of Queensland and New South Wales, bringing heavy rain, flooding and damaging winds. "It has slowed up somewhat, that (landfall) will now be at a later time," prime minister Anthony Albanese told reporters. "That is not all good news. The risk is that in slowing up, (the cyclone) increases in its intensity but at this stage it is still predicted to be category two as it crosses onto land." 03:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar A 78-year-old woman was hospitalised with head injuries after being swept up by a large wave at Currumbin Beach on Wednesday evening. The Queensland Ambulance Service confirmed she sustained a deep cut but was in stable condition at Gold Coast University Hospital. Acting Mayor Donna Gates urged residents to avoid beaches as the storm nears. 02:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar Meta reportedly blocked or hid Facebook search results for 'Cyclone Alfred' ahead of the storm's landfall on Australia's east coast, despite the platform being crucial for emergency updates. Searches for the term led to nearly blank pages or Meta's Climate Science Centre, which contained no cyclone-related information, ABC News reported. Some general searches for cyclones still returned results, suggesting targeted suppression of 'Cyclone Alfred', the outlet said. The Queensland government and federal officials contacted Meta about the issue, and some news content reappeared after inquiries, but restrictions remained on certain accounts and devices. Searching for the hashtag #cyclonealfred resulted in a blank page with a message saying that 'posts with cyclonealfred are temporarily hidden here due to content that violates our Community Standards'. 01:00 , Stuti Mishra Tropical Cyclone Alfred is moving closer to the southeast Queensland and northern NSW coast, with damaging winds, storm surges, and life-threatening flash flooding expected to worsen overnight into Thursday. Alfred is now just 325km east of Brisbane and 305km from the Gold Coast, according to the latest (5pm local time) update from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). The area covered by the Cyclone Alfred warning zone stretches approximately 450-500 km along the east coast of Australia, from Double Island Point in Queensland to Ballina in New South Wales. Damaging winds of 120kmph are already hitting Coolangatta and Ballina while gusts up to 155kmph could hit coastal areas as far south as Cape Byron from Thursday afternoon. Dangerous storm tides could cause flooding in low-lying coastal areas if landfall coincides with high tide early Friday, the bureau said. Heavy to locally intense rainfall is expected from late Thursday into Friday, increasing the risk of flash flooding. Alfred is forecast to make landfall early Friday between Maroochydore and Coolangatta as a Category 2 cyclone. 00:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar With Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaching, authorities are ramping up preparations to support communities, prime minister Anthony assured residents. The Australian Defence Force is on standby with personnel and vehicles, and additional sandbags have been delivered, he added. With Tropical Cyclone Alfred bearing down on the east coast, we are taking action to help communities Australian Defence Force is ready to assist with personnel and vehicles and we've delivered additional sandbags this morning. This is an incredibly stressful time… — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) March 5, 2025 Wednesday 5 March 2025 23:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar A major electricity distributor in NSW is urging residents to prepare for potential power outages as Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches. Essential energy's Mark Summers warned that rural areas face the highest risk of prolonged blackouts, with flooding, strong winds, and softened soil likely to bring down trees onto power lines. 'Rural areas are most at risk for longer outages than some of the locations that are going to be in the path of the cyclone,' Mr Summers said. 'We have good systems in place to isolate sections of network when they do come under fault conditions, but there's always an opportunity that something could still be energised.' He advised people to stay away from fallen power lines and report them to Essential Energy's emergency line at 13 20 80. Wednesday 5 March 2025 22:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar More schools in NSW are closing this week due to the potential impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, including flooding risks. Over 230 public schools, 29 Catholic schools, five independent schools, and 16 TAFE campuses have shut down, with two TAFE campuses now serving as evacuation centres. NSW education minister Prue Car emphasised that safety is the top priority. 'While we usually do not advocate for the closure of schools and places of learning, in these circumstances, an abundance of caution can be what keeps our community safe.' Schools are expected to reopen on Monday, 10 March. Wednesday 5 March 2025 21:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar Prime minister Anthony Albanese says: 'I want residents in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales to know that we are prepared. We will get through this – together.' I want residents in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales to know that we are prepared. We will get through this – together. — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) March 5, 2025 Wednesday 5 March 2025 20:00 , Stuti Mishra Prime minister Anthony Albanese says that the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is now formally engaged in responding to Tropical Cyclone Alfred, as the system threatens Queensland and northern New South Wales. An additional 250,000 sandbags will be delivered to the Queensland government, he told the media. "We put in place a national supply; 125,000 of those have already been delivered," Mr Albanese says. "That's on top of the 80,000 that were delivered by the ADF already." Wednesday 5 March 2025 19:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar Gold Coast Airport will shut down from 4pm AEST on Wednesday due to the approaching cyclone. 'Passengers affected will be contacted by their airline regarding their options to reschedule travel," a statement from Gold Coast Airport said. 'The terminal building will be closed and there will be no public access from this time. For anyone seeking shelter, the closest evacuation centre is at Burleigh Waters Community Centre at 111 Christine Ave, Burleigh Waters.' Wednesday 5 March 2025 18:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar Gold Coast acting Mayor Donna Gates has urged people not to leave their homes after 6pm tonight. 'This looks like the most significant event in our city in terms of destructive winds and heavy rain that we've seen since 1954,' she said today. 'Let me reiterate that this is going to be a very widespread event, and the modelling shows for the canal estates, just as it does for anyone on a dry residential block.' Wednesday 5 March 2025 17:01 , Maroosha Muzaffar People are being told to 'get out now' as Australia's southeastern coast braces for a rare landfall of a tropical cyclone, churning towards Queensland and prompting warnings across two states. Alfred, classified as a Category 1 system on Monday, is intensifying off Queensland's coast and is expected to be one of the most destructive in the region in decades. The cyclone is forecast to strengthen to a Category 2 system early morning on Tuesday, before making landfall between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast late Thursday or early Friday. If Alfred makes landfall as projected, it will be the first cyclone to directly impact Brisbane since Nancy in 1990. Alfred is about 450km northeast of Brisbane, moving southwest at 20kmph, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Read the full story here: Australia braces for rare tropical cyclone Alfred Wednesday 5 March 2025 16:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar Residents were stacking sandbags to protect low-lying properties Wednesday ahead of a tropical cyclone forecast to become the first in 51 years to hit the Australian east coast near Brisbane, the nation's third-most populous city. Tropical Cyclone Alfred is forecast to cross the coast between the Queensland state capital Brisbane and the tourist city of Gold Coast to the south late Thursday or early Friday, Bureau of Meteorology manager Matt Collopy said. Brisbane and Gold Coast are a continuous urban sprawl. Their centers are 80 kilometers (50 miles) apart. Alfred was over the Pacific Ocean 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Brisbane and tracking west Wednesday with sustained winds near the center of 95 kph (59 mph) with gusts to 130 kph (81 mph). 'That is destructive winds,' Collopy said. It was expected to maintain that strength until reaching land. 'Large swells and powerful waves have been observed along the Queensland coast for several days now with severe coastal erosion and inundation happening,' Collopy told reporters in Brisbane. 'This will continue and likely get worse as the system approaches and makes landfall." Read the full story here: Residents prepare for the first cyclone in 51 years to hit the Australian coast near Brisbane Wednesday 5 March 2025 15:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar A 78-year-old woman was hospitalised with head injuries after being swept up by a large wave at Currumbin Beach on Wednesday evening. The Queensland Ambulance Service confirmed she sustained a deep cut but was in stable condition at Gold Coast University Hospital. Acting Mayor Donna Gates urged residents to avoid beaches as the storm nears. Wednesday 5 March 2025 14:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar Tropical Cyclone Alfred has intensified to Category 2 and is barrelling towards Australia's eastern coast, threatening to be one of the most destructive storms for the region. Authorities are warning of damaging winds, heavy rain, storm surges, and coastal erosion, with landfall expected late Thursday or early Friday north of Brisbane. On Tuesday, Alfred was 600km east of the Queensland-New South Wales border, taking a sudden turn westward after several days of southeast movement. 'Tropical Cyclone Alfred has just changed direction and is now heading towards the QLD Coast,' the premier, David Crisafulli, said on Tuesday evening on social media. 'We're prepared for this weather event and we're asking Queenslanders to do the same. Read the full piece here: Cyclone Alfred mapped: When and where will the Category 2 storm make landfall? Wednesday 5 March 2025 13:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar Meta reportedly blocked or hid Facebook search results for 'Cyclone Alfred' ahead of the storm's landfall on Australia's east coast, despite the platform being crucial for emergency updates. Searches for the term led to nearly blank pages or Meta's Climate Science Centre, which contained no cyclone-related information, ABC News reported. Some general searches for cyclones still returned results, suggesting targeted suppression of 'Cyclone Alfred', the outlet said. The Queensland government and federal officials contacted Meta about the issue, and some news content reappeared after inquiries, but restrictions remained on certain accounts and devices. Searching for the hashtag #cyclonealfred resulted in a blank page with a message saying that "posts with cyclonealfred are temporarily hidden here due to content that violates our Community Standards". Wednesday 5 March 2025 12:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar A solo rower attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean from California to Australia was rescued by a warship after getting caught in a tropical cyclone with winds of up to 100km/h. Aurimas Mockus, 44, from Lithuania, was stranded for three days in the Coral Sea around 460 miles off Queensland after encountering Tropical Cyclone Alfred. "Because of highly unfavorable sea conditions, Mr. Mockus's boat could not be recovered except for two oars and some personal items," the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, who led the rescue, said in a statement. Authorities said Mr Mockus underwent a medical assessment aboard Royal Australian Navy landing ship HMAS Choules. Watch here: Pacific Ocean solo rower rescued from Cyclone Alfred days before completing feat Wednesday 5 March 2025 11:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar Queensland premier David Crisafulli urged residents near coastal areas to follow evacuation orders. 'If it was the case that this [cyclone], which has strengthened, was to cross on high tide in the middle of the night, and you're in that storm surge, the last place you want to be is in your home. So, now's the time [to evacuate],' he said. '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 added. Australian prime minister also pledged to "provide any necessary resources" to support state governments in their rescue efforts. Wednesday 5 March 2025 10:54 , Maroosha Muzaffar A 78-year-old woman was hospitalised with head injuries after being swept up by a large wave at Currumbin Beach on Wednesday evening. The Queensland Ambulance Service confirmed she sustained a deep cut but was in stable condition at Gold Coast University Hospital. Acting Mayor Donna Gates urged residents to avoid beaches as the storm nears. Wednesday 5 March 2025 10:54 , Maroosha Muzaffar More schools in NSW are closing this week due to the potential impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, including flooding risks. Over 230 public schools, 29 Catholic schools, five independent schools, and 16 TAFE campuses have shut down, with two TAFE campuses now serving as evacuation centres. NSW education minister Prue Car emphasised that safety is the top priority. 'While we usually do not advocate for the closure of schools and places of learning, in these circumstances, an abundance of caution can be what keeps our community safe.' Schools are expected to reopen on Monday, 10 March. Wednesday 5 March 2025 10:00 , Stuti Mishra Prime minister Anthony Albanese says that the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is now formally engaged in responding to Tropical Cyclone Alfred, as the system threatens Queensland and northern New South Wales. An additional 250,000 sandbags will be delivered to the Queensland government, he told the media. "We put in place a national supply; 125,000 of those have already been delivered," Mr Albanese says. "That's on top of the 80,000 that were delivered by the ADF already." Wednesday 5 March 2025 09:19 , Stuti Mishra Tropical Cyclone Alfred is moving closer to the southeast Queensland and northern NSW coast, with damaging winds, storm surges, and life-threatening flash flooding expected to worsen overnight into Thursday. Alfred is now just 325km east of Brisbane and 305km from the Gold Coast, according to the latest (5pm local time) update from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). The area covered by the Cyclone Alfred warning zone stretches approximately 450-500 km along the east coast of Australia, from Double Island Point in Queensland to Ballina in New South Wales. Damaging winds of 120kmph are already hitting Coolangatta and Ballina while gusts up to 155kmph could hit coastal areas as far south as Cape Byron from Thursday afternoon. Dangerous storm tides could cause flooding in low-lying coastal areas if landfall coincides with high tide early Friday, the bureau said. Heavy to locally intense rainfall is expected from late Thursday into Friday, increasing the risk of flash flooding. Alfred is forecast to make landfall early Friday between Maroochydore and Coolangatta as a Category 2 cyclone. Wednesday 5 March 2025 08:25 , Stuti Mishra Airports are shutting down and flights are being cancelled across southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales as Tropical Cyclone Alfred nears the coast. Gold Coast Airport: The airport will close from 4pm today until further notice. No access will be allowed to the terminal, and people seeking shelter are being directed to the Burleigh Waters Community Centre evacuation centre. Ballina Byron Gateway Airport: All flights cancelled for Wednesday and Thursday. A total of 22 flights were scheduled to arrive or depart. Coffs Harbour Airport: Flights suspended from midnight Wednesday until at least midday Thursday. Lord Howe Island: All Qantas flights cancelled on Wednesday. Brisbane & Sunshine Coast Airports: Currently operating, but airlines warn further cancellations are possible. 'We have proactively cancelled a number of flights today from southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales," a Qantas Group spokesperson said. 'The situation remains fluid and flight cancellations and delays will evolve over the coming days.' Earlier, airlines including Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar announced frexible fee-free date change options. Qantas & Virgin: Customers who booked before 3 March can change their flight within 14 days or cancel for a travel credit. Jetstar: Free date change 7 days before or 14 days after the original travel date, or a voucher for the full value of untravelled flights. Wednesday 5 March 2025 07:54 , Stuti Mishra Cyclone Alfred is expected to bring torrential rain, with some areas receiving up to 600mm over the next few days, according to forecast from Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). The heaviest rainfall will likely occur south of landfall, affecting Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, and northern New South Wales. Expected rainfall totals by region: Sunshine Coast to Gold Coast: 400-600mm, possibly higher in some areas Brisbane and Moreton Bay region: 300-500mm Northern NSW (Tweed, Byron, Lismore, Grafton): 250-400mm, with isolated higher totals possible in river catchments Coastal areas from Fraser Island to Port Macquarie: 200-350mm The most intense rainfall is forecasted to hit Thursday night into Friday, with rainfall rates exceeding 200mm in just three hours in some areas. The latest rainfall map from the bureau shows a widespread area of extreme rainfall, particularly south of the cyclone's landfall, with northern NSW and southeast Queensland at highest risk. The purple and pink areas on the map indicate the most intense rainfall zones, where flash flooding and major river flooding are highly likely. The Bureau of Meteorology has also issued its first flood warnings for NSW's Northern Rivers, with major flooding possible along the Bellinger River at Thora and Bellingen from Friday (See post below). Wednesday 5 March 2025 07:25 , Stuti Mishra The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued its first flood warnings for NSW's Northern Rivers, as Cyclone Alfred brings heavy rainfall to the region. Major flooding is possible along the Bellinger River at Thora from Friday afternoon, with water levels expected to rise to 5.8 metres, BoM said. In Bellingen, the river could surge to 8.2 metres on Saturday, prompting further warnings of major flooding. Minor flood warnings have also been issued for Repton and the Kalang River at Urunga from Friday afternoon. 'The timing and location of the heaviest falls will depend on the track of the cyclone,' BoM said, adding that the situation is being closely monitored with more warnings to come. ⚠️ Minor to Major Flood Warning for the #BellingerRiver and Moderate #FloodWarning for the # flooding possible at #Thora from Friday afternoon. Major flooding possible at #Bellingen during — Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) March 5, 2025 Wednesday 5 March 2025 06:48 , Stuti Mishra Massive waves are already building offshore as Cyclone Alfred moves closer, with wave heights exceeding 8–10 meters near the storm's centre, forecast maps from Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), show. As the cyclone moves closer, coastal areas in southeast Queensland and northern NSW could see dangerous storm surges, beach erosion, and life-threatening surf conditions over the next 48 hours. Authorities are warning people to stay away from the water, as conditions will rapidly deteriorate. Flooded roads, coastal inundation, and strong rip currents are expected as the system nears landfall late Thursday or early Friday. 'Tropical Cyclone Alfred triggered the largest waves that we have recorded – over seven metres on Monday morning – since we first started measuring waves at One Tree Island in November 2022," Professor Ana Vila-Concejo from the University of Sydney, said. 'What makes it uniquely hazardous," she said, is that "the coast is already eroded from the run of NE and E swells and very high tides from the last couple of days.' Wednesday 5 March 2025 06:30 , Stuti Mishra Brisbane City Council has announced all bus services will be suspended from tonight's last service until further notice as Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches. Buses: Last services tonight, then fully suspended Trains: Suspended from Thursday until further notice CityCat & Ferries: Already suspended Authorities say services will only resume when it is safe. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Brisbane City Council (@brisbanecitycouncil) Wednesday 5 March 2025 06:15 , Stuti Mishra #LIVE: I'm delivering an update on Tropical Cyclone Alfred from the Gold Coast — David Crisafulli (@DavidCrisafulli) March 5, 2025 Wednesday 5 March 2025 06:00 , Stuti Mishra Queensland premier David Crisafulli has warned residents to "prepare now" as he called Cyclone Alfred an "extremely rare event". Authorities are bracing for mass power outages and severe impacts from Tropical Cyclone Alfred. There is a chance this cyclone will cross in the middle of the night with a high tide. That is not the time to be making your evacuation plan, now is the time. Mr Crisafulli warned. With southeast Queensland residents already losing power, authorities say some areas could be left without electricity for up to three days. The government has mobilized 1,000 Energex crew to begin restoring power as soon as it is safe. 'It is essential that we get power connected as quickly as we can after an event like this,' the premier said. Mr Crisafulli reassured Queenslanders that the response and recovery efforts are already being coordinated. 'There will be no daylight between the response and the recovery. The best way to guarantee a good recovery is to do the little things now to keep yourself out of harm's way,' he said. The latest cyclone maps show Alfred closing in on the Queensland coast, with landfall expected late Thursday or early Friday. Wednesday 5 March 2025 05:36 , Stuti Mishra Gold Coast residents have been warned to stay indoors after 6pm local time (8am GMT) tonight as flooding and destructive winds from Tropical Cyclone Alfred begin to take hold. 'This looks like the most significant event in our city in terms of destructive winds and heavy rain that we've seen since 1954,' acting mayor Donna Gates warned in a press conference this afternoon. With 800mm of rain expected, she said conditions will be 'awful' and warned residents to prepare for power outages as the cyclone intensifies. 'Very heavy rainfall will continue until late Friday and into the first half of Saturday,' she said. Wednesday 5 March 2025 05:10 , Stuti Mishra Cyclone Alfred slowing down could be the worst-case scenario for southeast Queensland, experts warn. The storm is currently moving at a speed of 16kmph, but experts fear it could slow down to 11kmph, which is significantly slower than a typical system. A slow movement could mean Alfred will have more time to intensify, feeding off warm ocean waters and low vertical wind shear, making it stronger before it reaches the coast. Meteorologist Thomas Hinterdorfer said that this could result in prolonged extreme weather, with some areas experiencing heavy rain, destructive winds, and storm surges for up to 12 to 14 hours. "It's going to have more time in the lower vertical shear. It's going to have more time with the warm ocean waters, and all that fuel is gonna help it intensify,' Mr Hinterdorfer told The Currier Mail. "It's not a good scenario to have it, you know, being a bit slower, we'd much prefer it to come through faster.' Similar slow-moving cyclones in the past have caused catastrophic destruction. In 2017, Cyclone Debbie stalled over southeast Queensland, unleashing up to 1,000mm of rain and triggering record-breaking floods. That same year, Hurricane Harvey in the US lingered over Texas, dumping over 1,500mm of rainfall and causing historic flooding in Houston. In recent years, slow moving storms have become a lot more common. Wednesday 5 March 2025 04:50 , Stuti Mishra Cyclone Alfred mapped: When and where will the Category 2 storm make landfall? Wednesday 5 March 2025 04:12 , Stuti Mishra A new map from Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) shows Cyclone Alfred is now about 345km east of Brisbane and 315km east of the Gold Coast. It is moving towards the southeast Queensland coast at a speed of 16kph. Alfred is a category 2 cyclone, and is forecast to maintain this intensity as it approaches the southeast Queensland coast on Thursday. Alfred is expected to cross the coast early Friday morning, most likely between Maroochydore and Coolangatta, according to the BoM. Wednesday 5 March 2025 03:25 , Stuti Mishra Officials are asking people to "act now" and leave before the situation gets worse. Tropical Cyclone Alfred is "not just a rain event" but "multiple wind events," warned Mike Wassing, commissioner of the New South Wales State Emergency Service. "If you're living directly on the coast and you know where your high tide is, you will see water potentially half a metre above that high tide mark," the NSW SES commissioner says. "You will potentially and very likely have winds impacting your location in excess of 100kmph. If you do not feel safe in that location now is the time to relocate." Wednesday 5 March 2025 03:04 , Shweta Sharma Australia's east coast is bracing for a tropical cyclone that is swirling towards Brisbane, the country's third-most populous city. Authorities warned thousands of properties were at risk due to strong winds and flash flooding. "If you're told to leave, you should leave. I can't be more blunt than that," Queensland premier David Crisafulli told ABC News, calling on residents to heed evacuation orders. Destructive wind gusts of up to 155kph (96 mph) are expected to develop from Thursday afternoon as tropical cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the coast as a category-two storm early on Friday morning near Queensland state capital Brisbane, Australia's weather bureau said. Wednesday 5 March 2025 02:30 , Steffie Banatvala Cunard's Queen Anne, which left Sydney on 1 March for her 2025 inaugural world cruise, skipped Brisbane and sailed directly to Airlie Beach, and arrived on Tuesday. She will continue as planned to Cairns on 6 March and spend an extra night in Darwin on 10 March before proceeding to Indonesia. Norwegian Cruise Line have also cancelled stops on the way to Cairns, so that their ships will now sail directly. Wednesday 5 March 2025 01:30 , Steffie Banatvala Cyclone Alfred has led to the cancellation of a golf event and prompted the Australian Football League (AFL) to postpone season-opening matches. Golf officials called off the Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned WPGA Championship event on the Gold Coast amid forecasts for extreme wind and flooding. The AFL, the top flight of Australian Rules football, has postponed two matches in southern Queensland, including Thursday's season-opener in Brisbane between the reigning champion Brisbane Lions and Geelong Cats. Soccer governing body Football Queensland suspended all training and games in the state's southeast on Wednesday. Other sporting events were called off, including national championships of touch football in New South Wales.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Kumbh Mela stampede latest: Many feared dead in crowd crush at world's largest religious festival
Dozens are feared to have died in multiple stampedes at India's Kumbh Mela festival, as millions of Hindu devotees gathered for a ritual bath at the confluence of three sacred rivers. The crowd crush began at around 4am this morning at Prayagraj, where the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet. Witnesses reported chaotic scenes as crowds surged forward, trampling people who were resting or sitting along the riverbanks. Death tolls vary from seven to as many as 50, while neither the central nor state government has yet to release any official toll. Distraught families gathered outside temporary medical centres, searching for missing relatives, while emergency teams attended to the injured and police struggled to regain control over the crowds. Wednesday marked a particularly significant bathing day, with officials anticipating a record turnout of 100 million devotees at the pilgrimage site. The Maha Kumbh Mela, which takes place every 12 years, began on 13 January, with over 400 million people expected to visit before the festival concludes. Authorities are now facing scrutiny over crowd control measures as rescue operations continue. 03:03 , Namita Singh Dozens of people were reported dead early this morning as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to take a holy bath in the river at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in northern India, local media reported. The Indian government is yet to release the official toll, however, local officials counting casualties into hospital tents said at least 38 were feared dead, while doctors have given the toll ranging from 15 to 50, reported the families lined up outside a makeshift hospital inquiring about their missing relatives, rescuers were helping the injured and police tried to manage the belongings like clothes, blankets and backpacks were strewn around the scene of the stampede. It was not immediately clear what triggered the panic or how many people had been hurt.
