Australia’s most popular resort destinations are being threatened by a severe cyclone that is due to hit Queensland’s Gold Coast in the early hours of Friday, 7 March morning.
Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have cancelled flights to the region as Category 2 Cyclone Alfred heads towards Southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales. Buses and trains are also being halted ahead of the cyclone’s landfall.
State capital Brisbane is predicted to feel the brunt of the storm if it continues its current course.
Cyclone Alfred is set to bring flash flooding, heavy rain, destructive winds and storm surges at its height, with Southeast Queensland, including the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, facing its first direct cyclone impact in 50 years.
More than four million people are in the firing line. About 20,000 homes in Brisbane, and more across Southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, are at risk of flooding, authorities warn.