Overview

• Cyclone Alfred is currently 160 kilometers off the coast of Brisbane and is projected to hit land on Saturday morning local time.
• The storm has already caused power outages for tens of thousands and significant beach erosion along Queensland's Gold Coast.
• Authorities have closed schools, supermarkets, roads, and airports as a precaution, and distributed hundreds of thousands of sandbags to protect homes and businesses.
• Wind speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour, heavy rainfall, and severe flooding are expected across areas from the Sunshine Coast to Byron Bay.
• Officials are urging residents in evacuation zones to leave immediately, warning that conditions will worsen and may impede rescue efforts.