Australia has prepared for a rare tropical cyclone on the east coast, which spinning towards Brisbane, its third most populated city, and the authorities encourage residents of suburbs susceptible to the flood soon.
Storm warnings on Wednesday stretched over 500 kilometers through the coast in Queensland and New South Wales, affecting millions of people.
The destructive gusts of wind up to 155 km/h can develop from Thursday afternoon, and the tropical cyclone Alfred is to land as a storm of category 2 early on Friday morning near Brisbane, the capital of Queensland.
The Meteorology Office said that total rainfall from the event can be up to 800 mm in some regions, more than the average sum for March and may cause life -threatening floods.
“This is a very rare event for the south-eastern Queensland … Many decades have passed since this part of the state (cyclone),” Prime Minister Queensland David Crisafulli told journalists.
He called residents to listen to orders of evacuation.
“If you are in a storm surge zone or you are in an area where you know that there is a river flood, you really have to consider and think about your evacuation plan,” said Crisafulli.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that healopters of heavy lift were arranged and offered “providing all required resources” to state governments.
Many residents left their homes when the authorities are in a hurry to open evacuation centers. Sand bags are briefly equipped, and the shelves in the supermarket have been demolished when people buy the necessary things.
The south -eastern Queensland and the northern new southern Wales have recently been affected by a cyclone over half a century ago in 1974. The last time the cyclone threatened Brisbane in 1990, but the system was followed south just before reaching the city.
Schools in the south -eastern Queensland will be closed and public transport will be closed on Thursday and Friday.
In total, 122 schools in the north of New Southern Wales will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, and sensitive residents will be called to move until Thursday morning, said Chris Minns in New South Wales.
“We have to bunker over the next 48 hours and go through what can be very difficult,” he told reporters.
Qantas said he canceled many flights from the south -eastern Queensland and the northern New Southern Wales, and more likely in the coming days.
The cooperated event of the WPGA WPGA championship was canceled, and the Australian Football League has postponed two matches in the southern Queensland.