Australia Orders Thousands Of People To Evacuate Before Tropical Storm Alfred Hits

UNSPLASH/Nikolasulas ILLUSTRATION

Australia ordered thousands of people in its eastern region to flee before Tropical Cyclone Alfred hit land on Saturday.

The storm brought heavy rains, large waves, and strong winds that cut off electricity, flooded the coast, and closed the airport.

The slow movement of Alfred to shore raises fears the storm could bring heavy rains for a long time and is expected to hit land as a Category 2 storm north of Brisbane, Australia's third most populous city, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

"The evacuation center is the last resort," Queensland Prime Minister David Crisafulli told a news conference on Friday, March 7.

He said dozens of refugee centers had been opened.

"Prepare the evacuation plan if you are in one of those areas," he urged those on the cyclone line, and advised them to secure their homes before fleeing.

"If in doubt, go away and stay with friends and family," he continued.

Blowing winds of more than 100 km/h (62 mph) hit the coastal areas of Queensland and New South Wales last night.

The storm moved slowly to the west 120 km (75 miles) from Brisbane and 85 kilometers (53 miles) from the tourist town of the Gold Coast, the weather bureau said.

The storm caused chaos cutting off electricity to more than 80,000 homes in both states, the power company said, about half on the Gold Coast.

Television footage shows surfers surfing the ocean and people walking near the beach, forcing officials to warn residents to stay indoors or prepare to evacuate.

"This is not the time to visit or see for yourself how it feels to experience this condition," said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

"Please stay safe. Be wise," he appealed.

Albanese told reporters 120 defense personnel would assist emergency crews in rescue and relief efforts.