Australia braces for rare tropical cyclone ‘Alfred’

Australia is preparing for a rare tropical cyclone on its east coast, moving toward Brisbane, the country's third-largest city.

According to Report, citing Reuters, authorities are urging residents of flood-prone suburbs to evacuate immediately.

Storm warnings have been issued along more than 500 km of coastline in the states of Queensland and New South Wales.

From Thursday, March 6, destructive wind gusts of up to 155 km/h are expected during the day, and Tropical Cyclone "Alfred" is anticipated to reach Category 2 early on March 7 near Brisbane, the capital of Queensland.

The Meteorological Bureau has warned that some areas could receive up to 800 mm of rainfall, significantly exceeding March averages and leading to dangerous flash flooding.

"This is a very rare event for southeast Queensland... It has been many decades since this part of the state experienced a cyclone like this," said Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, urging residents in flood-prone areas to follow evacuation orders.