News

Counting cost of 'Alfred'

New figures have revealed the huge impact Tropical Cyclone Alfred had on Moreton Bay region – with one cost alone estimated at more than $120 million.

A Recovery Action Plan report by Moreton Bay City Council shows the affect on the region's economy, residents, environment and infrastructure over nine days in March.

Though weakening to a tropical low when making landfall at Moreton Island and Bribie, a massive disaster management program was in place, including 300,000 sandbags

Economic assessments from business, chambers and industry groups put the total impact at $124.2 million. Of businesses surveyed, 85 per cent were financially hit and 46 per cent stopped trading at some point. 

The report, included at last week's General Meeting, shows the economic loss due to power outages was $24 million a day and at the peak 62,396 residents were without electricity,

Financial relief totaling $11,369,901 was distributed using grants and repairing public assets is put at $10,825,000.

There were 65,220 calls made to Council’s Community Recovery Hotline and 1425 visits to four Recovery Hubs at Redcliffe, Morayfield, Albany Creek and Mt Glorious.

Economic:

Total impact - $124.2 million estimated

  • $47.6m – Before and during, March 6-9
  • $42.7m – After, March 11-12
  • $12.9m – After March 13-14
  • $21m - Tourism cancellations

Human and Social

$11,369,901in financial help through grants such as PHAS and AGDRP

1425 visits to Community Recovery Hubs

  • Redcliffe (March 11-April 11) 395
  • Albany Creek (March 11-28) 266
  • Morayfield (March 12-28) – 361
  • Mt Glorious (March 16-21) 151

65,220 calls made to Community Recovery Hotline

1675 calls made to Lifeline Disaster Counselling Hotline

393,483 views from 142,402 users of Council’s Disaster Dashboard

2,721,681 views of Council’s Community Recovery webpage

Infrastructure

$10,825,000 currently estimated to restore public assets

  • 393 infrastructure issues logged
The report also gives a graphic day-by-day timeline of how TC Alfred's impact unfolded across the Moreton Bay region.

Mayor Peter Flannery said it was a “pretty extraordinary weather
event. I want to congratulate the team on how they dealt with that situation and learnings as well.”

Chair of the Moreton Recovery Group Councillor Matt Constance (Div 10) added: “I want to acknowledge the efforts
of the recovery staff and council staff.”

“The report notes a significant amount of work that has been done and obviously there as pile of work still to go.”

Alfred timeline March 3-11

March 3 – TC Alfred rated Category 2 to Category 1

  • 1 public information/warning
  • 136 SES tasks
  • 1 horse at QSEC

March 4 – TC Alfred Category 2 to Category 1

  • 1 public information/warning
  • 376 SES tasks
  • 91 horses at QSEC

March 5 – TC Alfred Category 2

  • 2 public information/warnings
  • 9 Council roads closed
  • 642 SES tasks
  • 42 power outages
  • 3 refuge centres activated
  • 16 people at refuge centres
  • 148 horses at QSEC
  • 75 schools closed
  • 1676 doorknocks by QPS and SES

March 6 – TC Alfred Category 2

  • 8mm rain
  • 9 Council roads closed
  • 842 SES tasks
  • 5 power outages
  • 3 refuge centres open
  • 71 people at refuge centres
  • 152 horses at QSEC
  • 61 calls to vulnerable Bribie residents
  • 424 doorknocks by QPS and SES

March 7 – TC Alfred Category 2

  • 21mm rain
  • 2 public information/warnings
  • 9 Council roads closed
  • 978 SES tasks
  • 19 power outages
  • 3 refuge centres open
  • 102 people at refuge centres
  • 152 horses at QSEC
  • 1119 doorknocks by QPS and SES
  • Major businesses and supermarkets closed

March 8 – TC Alfred Category 1 to tropical low

  • 150mm rain
  • 1 public information/warning
  • 9 Council roads closed
  • 10 State-controlled roads closed
  • 71 SES tasks
  • 49,160 power outages
  • 3 refuge centres open
  • 156 people at refuge centres
  • 151 horses at QSEC

March 9 – TC Alfred tropical low, makes landfall

  • 297mm rain
  • 29 public information/warnings
  • 69 Council roads closed
  • 8 State-controlled roads closed
  • 568 SES tasks
  • 62,396 power outages
  • 3 refuge centres open
  • 130 people at refuge centres
  • 115 horses at QSEC

March 10

  • 350mm rain
  • 26 public information/warnings
  • 120 Council roads closed
  • 20 State-controlled roads closed
  • 760 SES tasks
  • 34,065 power outages
  • 3 refuge centres closed 5pm
  • 75 people at refuge centres
  • 87 horses at QSEC

March 11

  • 64 Council roads closed
  • 15 State-controlled roads closed
  • 806 SES tasks
  • 15,790 power outages
  • 80 horses at QSEC