Cyclone Alfred: SE Qld residents to brace for power outages, service shutdowns

Millions could lose power for three days when Cyclone Alfred makes landfall, while rainfall totals up to 400mm and 130km/h winds are predicted. LATEST TRACKING MAP

South East Queensland’s four million residents have officially been told to prepare to be without power for at least three days after Cyclone Alfred makes landfall later this week.

After Premier David Crisafulli advised Queenslanders to be as prepared as possible, anxious residents stripped grocery store shelves bare of bottled water and other essentials.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to turn west towards Brisbane on Tuesday, and re-intensify into a category 2 system before making landfall somewhere between Brisbane and Noosa overnight on Thursday or early Friday.

It is forecast to bring destructive winds of up to 120km/h, days of heavy rainfall, hazardous surf conditions – and a high risk of beachfront erosion.

Rainfall totals up to 400mm are forecast for Brisbane, with 130mm expected on Friday and 110mm on Saturday. The Gold Coast is forecast to get 450mm, with 120mm on Thursday, 130mm on Friday and 100mm on Saturday.

Cyclone Alfred animation Friday

Tropical Cyclone Alfred's predicted path as of 6.30am Tuesday. Picture: Windy

An unearthed government report suggests more than half-a-million homes could suffer damage if Tropical Cyclone Alfred makes landfall as a category 2 system.

The Bureau of Meteorology said that as of 4am on Tuesday, Alfred was 560km east of Brisbane, moving south-southeast at 6km/h.

“Alfred’s intensity may fluctuate between category 1 and 2 over the next few days, but it is forecast to cross the southeast Queensland coast at category 2 strength late on Thursday or early Friday morning,” the Bureau of Meteorology said in its morning bulletin.

The 4am Bureau of Meteorology tracking map.

Mr Crisafulli urged residents in the warning area – which stretches from K’gari/Fraser Island south to Grafton in northern NSW – to use the next couple of days to prepare.

“We are putting all the preparations in place and we are asking all Queenslanders to do the same,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“We are dealing with a very heavily populated part of the state … that hasn’t seen a cyclone for many years, in fact many decades.”

He said he understood – and even encouraged – people to buy the essentials they might need should water and power be cut for a sustained period after the cyclone hits.

“It is important that people have sufficient food and water and I understand why Queenslanders want to do that, that is important,” Mr Crisafulli said.

He called on the major supermarkets to do what they could to keep their shelves stocked, and both Coles and Woolworths confirmed plans were in place to ensure the stores could be restocked.

Energex regional field delivery general manager Kev Lavender said residents should be prepared to go without power.

Big waves off Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast on Monday afternoon. Picture: Mark Furler

He said that while it was too early to tell the length of outages, residents should prepare for at least three days without power.

But he said: “Energex has been preparing for Cyclone Alfred since last week and the community can rest assured that we’re ready to respond to anything Mother Nature throws at us.”

The first residents to feel the impact of the cyclone will be the region’s island communities, including Bribie, Stradbroke, Moreton, and those in the Bay.

They were told to decide by Tuesday morning whether to leave or bunker down, with damaging winds expected to be felt by Wednesday and ferry connections to the mainland likely cancelled as a result.

Mr Crisafulli said there would be three stages to the weather event – big surf and erosion, damaging winds, and then likely flooding.

He said the immediate priority was therefore those island and other low-lying communities, including canal suburbs – which could be impacted by significant storm surges.

Big lines at Coles New Farm in inner Brisbane

He also said there was a very strong likelihood schools would be closed later in the week, but that those decisions would be made at least the day before. No schools would be shut on Tuesday.

Queensland University of Technology announced it was shifting all classes online from Wednesday to Friday.

It came as all CityCat and ferry services on the Brisbane River were suspended overnight until further notice, so the vessels could be moved to safety.

Queensland Rail and commuter bus services were still running. Any changes would be shared with commuters.

A flood watch has been issued for areas from around the Bundaberg area south to the border – including catchments from the Mary River, through the Sunshine Coast rivers, the Brisbane River catchment, and down to border catchment areas of the Logan and Albert Rivers.

Strong wind and rain at The Spit, Main Beach, on the Gold Coast. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Sandbags were temporarily unavailable at Brisbane City Council depots after residents collected 74,000 on Monday. The council was now switching to a 24-hour sandbag production.

Ipswich, Logan, Moreton Bay and Redland councils were continuing to offer sandbags.

The State Emergency Service had already received 450 requests for help since last week but were already preparing to move personnel to communities predicted to be hardest hit.

Marine Rescue Queensland has also deployed 22 vessels along the coastline to respond if needed.

With millions of people in the firing line, the government has also met with telecommunications companies to speak to them about providing extra capacity to put emergency messages out.

Both Coles and Woolworths assured they were working to ensure stores were stocked.

“We have extra deliveries on the roads already, with a focus on boosting our supply of meat, milk, bread, water, canned goods, baby formula and toilet paper,” a Coles spokesman said.

Worried residents were on Monday stocking up on hardware from Bunnings in preparation for Cyclone Alfred.

Nundah mum Chloe Ryan, shopping at Bunnings in Stafford, said she was braving the crowds for a gas cooker and a torch.

“Bunnings was hectic. There weren’t many gas cookers left and it was a bit crazy,” she said.

“I am a bit worried because I have a small baby but we will see what happens.”

Originally published as Cyclone Alfred: SE Qld residents to brace for power outages, service shutdowns