5 hours ago
Crisafulli says he is concerned some Queenslanders have not ‘fully understood the magnitude’ of cyclone
The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, has been stressing the importance of communities to prepare for this – and said there was “still an element of the population that hasn’t yet fully understood the magnitude of this system”.
That’s completely understandable because it’s been many decades since [a cyclone] has been here, in this part of the state. But one thing I know about Queenslanders is they handle disasters better than anywhere else and we have proven that time and time again.
I know the people in the south-east may not have experienced a cyclone before, but they have been tested with floods and they have come through with flying colours every time. And whilst this is a different kind of event, the preparations you put in place make a world of difference and you have proven before that you can do it, and I’m sure that you will again.
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How long is the system expected to cross over the coast, and how long will people feel it?
Sue Oates said the impacts would be felt from tomorrow afternoon, through to the coastal crossing.
How long we get those impacts will depend on when we get that coastal crossing which, at the moment, we’re anticipating that that will be later in the day Thursday, if not Friday morning.
Once the system does cross the coast, in regards to the sea conditions and the wind conditions, they should ease fairly rapidly but what remains is the rainfall risk and that will continue for a couple of days. We’ll continue to have a flooding risk right into the weekend.
Weather bureau expects tides at least half a metre above regular level
Sue Oates from the Bureau of Meteorology has been taking questions and is asked about the abnormally high tides she mentioned earlier.
She says the bureau measures them using a “reference point of the highest astronomical tide – so that’s the highest tidal level that a location can expect”.
So with the category 2 system coming in, and based on the best modelling guidance available to us – appreciating that the highest anomaly on the tide, so that additional layer on the tides, will be closer to the system centre on the southern side of coastal crossing.
At this stage, we’re anticipating at least half a metre above the highest astronomical tide, with slightly higher values around that area of coastal crossing, wherever that might be.
So when I say higher values, they’re looking like up to 0.8 metres at this point in time.
Call 000 if you see wires down, Energex says
An Energex representative said 1,000 field staff were ready to deploy if needed over the coming days.
We’ll only do so when it’s safe to do so … The other message I’d like to get out there: if there’s wires down, please dial 000. [Even] if you don’t think they’re live, they still might be, so dial 000 and just stay safe.
Vulnerable people should decide in next 24 hours if they want to leave, authorities say
Maritime Safety has also provided a brief update, stating CityCat services had ceased operations so “those vessels can be stored safely”.
Ferries and barges in Moreton Bay will start to see services over the next 24 hours … Vulnerable members of the community that need medical transport or disability support, please reach out early. We urge you to make your decision and leave in the next 24 hours.
‘Ask early, ask now’: more than 800 requests for SES assistance in last 24 hours
A representative from the Queensland SES is up now, and says more than 800 requests for assistance have been made in the last 24 hours.
[This] was up from 70 in the previous 24-hour period, so that’s good; the message is getting through that if you need help – particularly vulnerable people – ask early, ask now, before the rain starts falling and the wind starts blowing.
Swift water rescue teams being deployed for flooding response
A Queensland Fire Department representative is up next, and says a “large cohort” of swift water technicians will be arriving today and tomorrow, placed from Maryborough to the border “in the event that someone is trapped during this event”.
As you have heard from the bureau, there is a large amount of water that will be coming and there’ll be lots of causeways, etcetera, that will be inundated and will be flooded. So we are prepared and have plenty of resources both in terms of motorised rescue craft, but more importantly, our swift water rescue technicians.
Queensland has requested further 250k sandbags
Shane Chelepy says more than 100,000 sandbags are ready to be distributed across south-east Queensland, with more coming tomorrow.
He says he’s engaged with the Emergency Management Agency to arrange a further 250,000 sandbags to arrive within the next 24 hours.
Right now, there’s a further 134,000 sandbags that we have identified that are at Richlands, and a further 200,000 sandbags on order from our suppliers. We have a further 40,000 sandbags across our south-east Queensland areas now that we are providing to councils.
Voluntary evacuations already occurring
The acting Queensland police commissioner, Shane Chelepy, has also been speaking to reporters, about the decision for some families to voluntary evacuate.
If you decide to leave, you need to leave before the event starts impacting you. Go and stay with family and friends. The worst time to make the decision to leave is when we’re in the middle of the event because [it] not only puts you at risk, but it puts the emergency service at risk who need to come and assist you.
He said voluntary evacuations were already occurring on South Stradbroke Island as a precaution, with doorknocking occurring in at-risk areas on the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and the Brisbane Bay areas today.
So my message to you is, if someone doorknocks your home, please listen to their advice and act accordingly.
Cyclone will bring some of ‘highest tides we will see within the year’: BoM
The BoM’s Sue Oates says by tomorrow night and early Thursday morning, some of “the highest tides we will see within the year” are forecast.
In terms of rainfall, this is set to commence later in the day tomorrow for exposed coastal areas, with isolated totals up to 100mm.
[This] does not seem like a lot, but as Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to move closer to the coast, that rainfall will move further inland and become more intense and we’re likely to see daily rainfall totals of around 200mm-plus, with isolated totals even higher than that – and up around 400mm is not out of the question.
Three-day rainfall totals for isolated areas may reach 700mm, Oates said.
As you can imagine, this is likely to cause riverine flooding through south-east Queensland.
Bureau of Meteorology provides update
Sue Oates from the Bureau of Meteorology says Tropical Cyclone Alfred is now located 600km east of Brisbane.
It is still continuing to move somewhat slowly away from the coast. However, this should change in the next 24 hours and we will start to see [it] stall, and then turn on a westward track towards the south-east Queensland coast.
By late Wednesday, she says, gale-force winds with gusts in excess of 90km/h on coastal areas are forecast.
As the system moves closer towards the coast, and at this time looks to be approaching the coast late Thursday into early Friday morning, those winds will continue to increase …
Teams working to assist homeless people during cyclone: Crisafulli
Continuing to address the media, the Queensland premier said the department of housing had been working with councils to assist homeless people amid the cyclone.
There are a number of community organisations who do a world of good work here. We’re going to do all we can to offer immediate assistance to those people who accept those offers, and that offer will be made and will be made multiple times as well.
Anyone needing help, we do have a 24/7 homelessness hotline: 1800 474 753.
Queensland amends regulation to apply 24-hour resupply of supermarkets in 21 LGAs
Moving to the supermarkets, amid a surge in panic buying, David Crisafulli said he has amended regulations to allow resupply in 21 local government areas to be conducted 24/7.
That’s never happened before a disaster.
He said there were no connectivity issues for north and far north Queensland in terms of accessing the Bruce highway, with north and south access. He continued:
By lifting those restrictions, it will enable more supply to get there and then it’s up to the supermarkets to continue to do all they can to meet the demand, meet the resupply, and have adequate staffing to do so.
Transport and schools update
The Queensland premier said 463 police recruits were going to “get a first taste of helping their community” by assisting with the cyclone response.
David Crisafulli added that schools would be open tomorrow, with updates regarding Thursday to be announced tomorrow.
The port of Brisbane was closed to freight, he said, and the airport had set procedures based on wind velocity that it is following.
If passengers are considering changing their flight, they should go directly to their airline. I’m told that the airlines will also be reaching out to some of those passengers.
In terms of public transport, Crisafulli said they too had guidelines they were following and more information would be announced in coming days.
