Tropical Cyclone Alfred: Moreton Bay, prepare for impact

Image: Zoom Earth

Moreton Bay City Council is urging residents to finalise their preparations for impact and think about where they will shelter before it becomes too dangerous to use roads today.

It comes as the city braces for Tropical Cyclone Alfred to make landfall on Saturday.

“Take shelter with family and friends first if you are vulnerable or in low lying coastal areas. Residents are strongly encouraged to stay off the roads,” Mayor Peter Flannery said.

“Following many days warning, a shift of intensity will see Tropical Cyclone Alfred bring flooding rains and destructive winds as it approaches the coastline.

“The weather will change quickly, and forecasts may change as the Tropical Cyclone remains unpredictable.

“People will need to be self-sufficient during the height of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. It will become too dangerous for Council, SES and Queensland Police Service to provide support.”

If your life is in immediate danger call 000 (Triple Zero), call Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) on 132 500 for non-life-threatening flood and storm emergency assistance. Residents will be assisted as soon as it is safe to do so, so we ask for patience and resilience.

Sandbag stations are now closed for community safety.

Mayor Flannery said Council had has already planned for post-impact recovery, putting into place logistics for waste services, Rapid Damage Assessment, clearance of key roads and bridges and any requirements for emergency resupply of essentials to communities that may be isolated after the event.

“Council will be ready to act when it is safe to do so and will keep residents informed,” he said.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to move slowly towards the South East Queensland coast. Its course remains unpredictable and may change. Rainfall and wind are expected to continue increasing during today.

Conditions are expected to get worse as it gets closer to land, including destructive wind gusts up to 130km/h and heavy to localised intense rainfall which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding.

Conditions in exposed coastal areas are expected to be very dangerous. Damaging wind gusts are likely to be experienced from today onwards, particularly over elevated terrain and remain a risk over Saturday and Sunday.

Refuge centres

Refuge centres will also remain open throughout the next days for residents who have nowhere to shelter from the severe weather event. They will be uncomfortable and have only very basic services. Council is asking people to shelter with family, friends or neighbours if their own home is unsafe to shelter in as a first option.

Refuge centres are a last resort for when the Tropical Cyclone Alfred impact arrives.

Refuge centre locations:
Strathpine Hall - 199 Gympie Rd, Strathpine
Caboolture Memorial Hall - 61/65 King St, Caboolture
Hope Centre - 18 Buchanan St, Rothwell

After the cyclone makes landfall, Council will reassess the need and the locations required for evacuation centres.

Flooding danger

Abnormally high tides are likely to continue causing flooding of coastal low-lying areas, particularly during Friday night (early Saturday and into Sunday) high tide. Avoid unnecessary travel and remember if it’s flooded, forget it.

Vulnerable residents notified

Today the Queensland Police Service will conduct final door knocking to about 890 properties vulnerable to a minor flood scenario. This is in addition to 2100 properties doorknocked over the past few days.

A combined City of Moreton Bay, Queensland Police Service, and State Emergency Service operation has been completed to help evacuate residents identified as most vulnerable to storm tide flooding on Bribie Island.

The rapid response plan was completed yesterday afternoon by doorknocking more than 170 properties in Bellara, Bongaree and Banksia Beach. There was no uptake from the community for this offer of assisted evacuation to a place of refuge yesterday.

Today the operation will turn its attention to residents across the City who may be at risk in riverine areas.

Support and services

Stay alert with the City of Moreton Bay’s Disaster Dashboard for all TC Alfred-related information.

Warning messages from City of Moreton Bay will be through MoretonAlert and Emergency Alert Messaging as required.

If people need urgent support, they can call the 24/7 City of Moreton Bay call centre on 07 3205 0555

Call Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) on 132 500 for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on buildings or roof damage.

If your life is in immediate danger call 000 (Triple Zero).

People should save the national emergency alert number +61 444 444 444

Services will resume only when it is safe to do so.