Brisbane spared as storm causes flooding, strong winds, and widespread outages in southeast Queensland.
Thousands of Queensland residents were left without power on Sunday after Cyclone Alfred, a downgraded tropical cyclone, caused widespread damage across the state.
The storm brought heavy rainfall, damaging winds, and flash flooding, leaving around 316,540 people without electricity. The Gold Coast was the worst-hit area, with more than 112,000 people in the city affected, according to energy distributor Energex.
Cyclone Alfred made landfall on Saturday as a tropical low after 16 days of tracking as a powerful cyclone. Despite the storm’s weakened status, it still caused considerable disruption across Queensland, particularly in the southeast and coastal regions.
Brisbane, the state’s capital, largely avoided the worst of the storm, but it still faced some rainfall and wind impacts. The storm also affected parts of northern New South Wales, causing dangerous conditions in towns like Lismore.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the situation in Queensland and northern New South Wales as “very serious” due to the continuing threat of flash flooding and strong winds. “Heavy rainfall, damaging wind gusts, and coastal surf impacts are expected to continue over coming days,” Albanese said in a statement on Sunday, as the storm continued to move inland.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued warnings for continued heavy rainfall that could trigger flash flooding in Brisbane and other regional centres, including Ipswich, the Sunshine Coast, and Gympie.
The storm also brought wind gusts of up to 90 km/h to various parts of the state. Meteorologist Dean Narramore confirmed that while Alfred had weakened, it would continue to bring substantial rain to southeast Queensland over the coming days.
Brisbane Airport reopened on Sunday, but warned that the ongoing weather might still cause disruptions to flight schedules. Authorities are also keeping a close eye on the power situation, with Energex reporting that some areas might experience extended outages due to damaged infrastructure.
State Premier David Crisafulli announced that around 1,000 schools, which had been closed due to the storm, would be reassessed for reopening on Monday.
However, he confirmed that schools on the Gold Coast, which saw significant damage, would remain closed. “Where it’s safe to do so, schools will reopen, but in the Gold Coast, power loss and transport issues remain major concerns,” Crisafulli said.
The storm claimed at least one life on Saturday in northern New South Wales, where a man drowned in floodwaters. Additionally, two Australian Defence Force vehicles en route to assist residents in Lismore collided on a road, injuring several officers.
As Cyclone Alfred weakens and moves further inland, the threat of flooding, strong winds, and additional damage remains high for the coming days.
Queensland authorities have urged residents to remain cautious and heed all weather warnings, while also praising the resilience of the community in dealing with the ongoing challenges.
