Cyclone Alfred: Devastation at a speed of 130 KM, darkness engulfed the lives of millions, this is just the beginning of trouble
Storm Alfred in Australia has caused massive destruction in many parts of the country. The stormy winds blowing at a speed of 130 kilometers per hour in this ex-tropical cyclone pushed the lives of millions of people into darkness. It was as if the dark clouds in the sky of Brisbane and Gold Coast had announced doom. Here power lines broke, trees were uprooted, and water entered the houses.
According to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, Alfred is a Category 2 storm, with sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near its center and winds of up to 130 kilometers per hour. It affected ‘Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Ballina, from Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in New South Wales.’
Extremely dangerous for two reasons
This cyclone was unusual for two reasons. First, it formed towards the south, and moved forward very slowly. Both these factors make it more dangerous, because the slower the storm moves, the more destruction it causes.
On the other hand, cyclones usually occur in the northern areas of Australia. The last time a cyclone hit the Gold Coast region was in 1974. The southern part of Australia is more densely populated, with Brisbane being the third most populous city in the country. In such a situation, this storm affected a large number of people.
When people were preparing to sleep here on Sunday night, the rain and strong winds from the sky were indicating danger. Many parts of Queensland were submerged in water in no time. Power went out in hundreds of areas of Gold Coast and Brisbane. The windows of houses started breaking, and people helplessly started looking for a safe place with their families.
1800 people trapped in water, one dead
The flood havoc broke out in just one night that 1800 people were completely surrounded by water. Roads turned into rivers, and many vehicles were swept away in the flood. Authorities immediately ordered 20,300 people to leave their homes.
On Saturday, the body of a 61-year-old man was recovered from the floodwaters, while in another incident, 12 soldiers were taken to hospital after a convoy of soldiers going for rescue work crashed.
The situation in New South Wales (NSW) was even more terrible. On Friday, a 61-year-old man’s car was swept away in floodwaters near Dorrigo, and he died. 13 soldiers were injured when a military truck overturned in Lismore, two of whom remain in critical condition.
The devastation is not over
The Meteorological Department has warned that this devastation is not over yet. The situation may worsen on Monday and Tuesday, as the rain will continue. There is a possibility of up to 700 mm of rain, which may worsen the situation.
Police and disaster management teams are constantly appealing to people to move to a safe height. An ’emergency warning’ was issued in Gold Coast on Sunday night. The scene so far shows that the real trouble has just begun. Millions of people are suffering amid power cuts, floods, and destruction.
