Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred steadily advanced through the Coral Sea, and veered off the typical path a cyclone might take, as tropical storms like Alfred do not usually reach the coastline hundreds of kilometres south of the tropics.
Forecasters from the BoM had predicted that it could make landfall on Friday morning in south-east Queensland. However, the storm unexpectedly slowed early on Thursday morning and did not arrive until Saturday. This could mean good news, as it downgraded to a category 1 by landfall but, on the other hand, this may also mean more days of heavy rains. Either way, it’s a good idea to remain cautious and well-prepared.
Although Alfred has downgraded to a storm, due to the irregularity of its path, Brisbane may not be as equipped to cope with the floods accompanying it as the north of Queensland, for example. In fact, the closest the capital has come to something like this was in 1990, when Cyclone Nance approached Brisbane erratically, but ultimately did not make landfall. On the other hand, Cyclone Wanda in 1974 was the cause of record-breaking floods despite not reaching Brisbane either.
What you can do
If you live around the areas potentially in Alfred’s path, it’s a good idea to be prepared. The Queensland government has a guide for residents, including packing a kit with enough basic items — such as a first aid kit, a torch, food and water, batteries, bathroom items, a battery-powered radio, mobile phone, chargers and power pack, spare cash and important documents sealed in waterproof bags or containers — for up to three days in case of power outages.
In fact, hundreds of thousands already find themselves without power across SEQ, where some services may not be restored until next week, according to Energex. This includes about 321,600 properties across Queensland.
Other recommendations include securing loose items that could cause damage if blown around and making sure your home is generally in good condition, especially in areas such as the roof and windows. Residents are advised to identify the safest room in their home, which should be away from any big windows, and to be ready to shut down gas, electricity and water services if needed. In case of the latter, we advise you to set clean water aside in advance.
If flooding is a possibility, consider sandbagging potential entry points. Due to high demand, Brisbane City Council, has opened additional temporary sandbag sites, and you can check for updates on their emergency dashboard. Currently, according to the dashboard and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, the suburbs with the highest flood risk include Nudgee Beach, Morningside, Kalinga, Chermside West, Carina, Windsor, Newmarket, Albion, Brighton, Wavell Heights, Ashgrove, Wynnum West, Rocklea, Ransome and Corinda.
Residents of storm tide zone or areas at risk of riverine flooding have been advised to evacuate if possible, and Brisbane City Council will open a temporary refuge shelter from 7am on Thursday, March 6 at the RNA Showgrounds in Bowen Hills, for those needing to leave their homes.
If you live in an apartment, it’s a good idea to contact your building manager for any steps you may be able to take to better prepare, and we recommend documenting any damage and inform your strata manager as soon as possible. Finally, work out an emergency plan, be ready to evacuate if needed — although authorities recommend staying home whenever possible — and, if you own a vehicle, make sure it has fuel and is parked in a sheltered area away from trees and powerlines.
Closures and cancellations
More than 660 schools were closed betweenThursday and Friday, and parents can stay updated on that here. Waterplay sites have been turned off, and all council pools will be closed from Thursday. Pop-up library visits, the Mobile Library, and the council’s free Home Library Service will be suspended at least until the end of the week. Kerbside collection of large items has also been suspended until further notice and rubbish collection will be restricted to red bins only on Wednesday, and then suspended entirely from Thursday.
Regarding other events happening around the city, as of now, Green Day’s show at Cbus Super Stadium, planned for Wednesday, March 5, was cancelled and will not be rescheduled, so ticketholders will receive a full refund. The Dolphins vs Rabbitohs match, which was happening at Suncorp Stadium on Friday has instead been moved to Sydney, and both AFL opening-round games (Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats) for Queensland have been postponed, though a date has not been settled on yet.
QAGOMA will be closing its doors from Wednesday, March 5 until further notice, and the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is also closed from today until Monday, March 10, as are most businesses. Some Brisbane Powerhouse events have been postponed and so have all of QPAC’s shows until Saturday 8 (inclusive).
All CityCat, ferry services and public transport have been suspended “until further notice”, in order to protect them from the storm. All other public transport will be suspended as well, starting Thursday March 6, and you can keep an eye on updates here. Residents are also advised against travelling on roads on over the weekend, with many of them likely being impacted or closed as the storm nears. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled in recent days, including from Virgin Australia, Qantas and Jetstar, however Brisbane Airport remains open for limited services.
Stay safe out there!