Hundreds of thousands of people in Queensland, Australia were left without power on Sunday following Alfred, a tropical cyclone that had weakened but still caused significant wind damage and heavy rainfall, leading to flood alerts. One person was confirmed dead, and several were injured.
In Queensland’s southeast, specifically around the Gold Coast, over 316,540 residents experienced power outages, as reported by the energy distributor Energex.
The weather system, classified as a “tropical low,” hit the Queensland coast on Saturday after persisting as a cyclone for 16 days, causing millions to brace for impact. Brisbane, the state capital, avoided the worst of the conditions, which also affected the southern parts of New South Wales.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed concerns on Sunday, stating that the conditions in Queensland and northern New South Wales were extremely serious, with risks of flash flooding and strong winds.
Albanese warned that the region should expect continued heavy rainfall, wind gusts, and coastal surf impacts over the next few days, as broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corp from Canberra.
The national Bureau of Meteorology forecast ongoing heavy rains for Sunday, potentially leading to flash floods in Brisbane and other Queensland regional centers like Ipswich, Sunshine Coast, and Gympie.
The bureau also predicted damaging wind gusts of up to 90 kph (60 mph) across the state.
Dean Narramore, a bureau meteorologist, noted that the system had weakened to a low but was still moving inland through southeast Queensland, bringing substantial rainfall.
Brisbane Airport, which reopened on Sunday, advised on X that the schedule might still be impacted by ongoing weather conditions.
Decisions about the reopening of around 1,000 state schools in Queensland, which were closed due to the adverse weather, will be made on Sunday, according to state Premier David Crisafulli.
Crisafulli stated that schools would reopen where it is safe to do so, except in the Gold Coast area, which suffered significant damage, including power losses and transport issues.
He praised the unwavering community spirit and resolve throughout the ordeal.
A tragic incident occurred on Saturday in northern New South Wales where a man lost his life in floodwaters, and a collision involving two Australian Defence Force vehicles responding to the crisis in Lismore resulted in several injuries among officers.
