Cyclone Alfred has left a trail of destruction along Australia’s east coast, with hundreds of thousands of people still without power. The storm brought widespread flooding, knocked down power lines and trees, and caused chaos in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales.
A 61-year-old man lost his life in the floods, and 12 soldiers were hospitalized after their convoy crashed while en route to rescue operations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned of continued wild weather and risks from flooding, stating that “the situation in Queensland and northern New South Wales remains very serious” ¹.
The cyclone made landfall near Brisbane on Saturday night, but had weakened by then. However, its impact was still severe, with emergency services conducting over a dozen rescues and receiving over 6,000 calls for help.
Almost 290,000 properties remain without power, and energy companies warn that the blackouts could persist for days. The storm also eroded sections of the beach on the Gold Coast and caused significant flooding in Lismore, northern New South Wales
