Australians are bracing for a “very rare” cyclone, Cyclone Alfred, to strike the east coast near Brisbane, the country’s third most populated city. This will be the first cyclone to hit Southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales for 51 years, pulling residents into a state of high alert. A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm that develops over the tropical oceans, with sustained winds reaching or exceeding 74mph. The cyclone warning covers more than 500km of the coast and authorities are urging residents in flood-prone areas to evacuate. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has stressed the severity of the cyclone and has advised residents to consider their evacuation plans. Non-essential services, such as schools and hospitals, will be shut down, and public transportation will not be running during the cyclone. The last time a cyclone hit Southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales was Cyclone Zoe in March 1974, causing extensive flooding. Since 1970, over 1,900 disasters have been attributed to tropical cyclones, resulting in more than 790,000 deaths and $1.4trn-worth of damages globally, according to the World Meteorological Organisation.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/cyclone-alfred-what-we-know-about-rare-storm-nearing-australian-coast-13321839