Tropical Cyclone Alfred live updates: Brisbane Airport suspends operations as forecasters’ worst fears realised

Emergency services are on high alert as Cyclone Alfred threatens to bring destructive winds, heavy rainfall, and a storm surge later this week.

Brisbane is expected to come to a standstill, with schools and daycares closing on Friday and public transport shutting down from tonight. Even typically safe areas, such as Biggera Waters on the Gold Coast, are forecast to experience flooding.

In Lismore, businesses are preparing for the worst, fearing a repeat of the devastating floods from three years ago.

Authorities have urged residents in high-risk areas to evacuate, with cyclone and flood refuge centres set to open across Brisbane from Friday morning. With four million people in the storm’s path, officials are bracing for impact as the category 2 cyclone moves closer to the coast.

Meteorologist Thomas Hinterdorfer, from Higgins Storm Chasing, advised those staying behind to seek shelter in the safest part of their homes.

“Anywhere from the most interior room in your house, to a bathroom and ideally with a mattress over you, it’s just that little bit of extra protection,” Mr Hinterdorfer told News.com.au.

“Try to stay away from windows and doors that could obviously break or blow in.”

As Cyclone Alfred nears Brisbane, most residents will take shelter indoors, but more than 1,300 people facing homelessness remain vulnerable to the dangerous conditions.

With heavy rain and destructive winds expected late on Friday, support workers are racing against time to bring those sleeping rough to safety.

Karyn Walsh, chief executive of the non-profit organisation Micah Projects, said the urgency of the situation was being met with disbelief.

“Every time we tell people it’s urgent, they don’t believe us,” Ms Walsh told Australian Broadcast Corporation.

Many homeless individuals lack access to news updates and may not realise the risks of staying outdoors.“People won’t see the danger, and with a cyclone, you need to come inside before the storm,” she added.

“It’s really hard to convey it to people, and you just have to keep going back. But we will keep going back as long as it is safe to drive.”

In preparation, staff and volunteers have been removing tents from open spaces such as Musgrave Park, while the Northwest Community Group has set up emergency shelters with around 100 air mattresses.

“There are those that have gone in early, but there are those who won’t go anywhere until there is imminent danger,” Ms Walsh said. “Because it isn’t raining yet, people think they still have time.”

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has urged residents to leave their homes ahead of expected flooding, acknowledging the difficulty of evacuating but stressing the importance of safety.

“It’s difficult to leave your home. If you get an evacuation order, please do it. I want you safe, your family wants you safe, your neighbours want you safe – we all do,” Ms Saffin said.

She assured residents they could bring their pets to evacuation centres.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has ordered evacuations in Lismore and other parts of northern New South Wales by 9pm on Thursday.

Acting Chief Superintendent Stuart Fisher warned that worsening conditions could make rescue efforts more challenging.

“The weather is deteriorating rapidly for us. Whilst it may look like the rivers aren’t flooding, there is high concern that they will start flooding tonight and continue into tomorrow,” Mr Fisher said.

Severe winds battering New South Wales’ Northern Rivers region have begun causing damage, with a power pole brought down in Ballina on Thursday evening as heavy rain and gusts intensified.

Residents in West Ballina have reported power outages, while the State Emergency Service (SES) has urged the flood-prone town to prepare for possible evacuation.

Essential Energy told Sydney Morning Herald that around 10,000 homes and businesses from Tweed Heads to Bulahdelah have lost electricity after trees and debris struck power lines.

The energy provider warned that access to some areas remains restricted due to intense rainfall, meaning “power may be interrupted for extensive periods”.

Thousands of residents in New South Wales’ Northern Rivers region have been ordered to evacuate as rising floodwaters threaten homes and infrastructure.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has directed around 7,000 people in Lismore, Fingal Head, Billinudgel, Uki, Bungawalbin, Tumbulgum, and parts of Coraki and Kyogle to leave before 9pm, giving them just three hours’ notice.

“If you remain in the area, you may become trapped without power, water, and other essential services,” the SES warned.

“It may be too dangerous for NSW SES to rescue you, and buildings may not be able to withstand the impact of flood water.”

Evacuation warnings have also been issued for East Coraki, parts of Bowraville, Bungawalbin, Doonbah, North Woodburn, and surrounding areas. Those outside immediate evacuation zones have been urged to stay indoors unless directed otherwise.

Authorities have advised residents to stay with family or friends where possible or seek refuge at evacuation centres. Officials have urged the public to check Hazard Watch for real-time updates.

American rapper and actor Ice Cube is among those stuck on the Gold Coast as Australia braces for Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

The musician, in the country for his Australian tour, is scheduled to perform in Sydney on Friday but remains trapped as severe weather conditions intensify. Speaking to The Project, he joked about the experience, saying the beach outside his hotel looked like it was “going to be in the hotel lobby in a minute.”

“It is pretty cool. I haven’t been through a cyclone before. I can check this off my bucket list for sure,” he said.

Actress Isla Fisher also shared a selfie with her followers, saying she was “hunkered down waiting for the cyclone.”

Ms Fisher has been filming Spa Weekend on the Gold Coast alongside Leslie Mann, Michelle Buteau, and Anna Faris. It remains unclear whether her co-stars are also affected, as they have not shared any updates.

Uncertainty remains over whether residents in Brisbane’s low-lying areas can park their cars at shopping centres for free to protect them from potential flooding.

Queensland premier David Crisafulli urged businesses to support those seeking refuge for their vehicles.

“Let me answer it this way, if someone takes the initiative to go and put their car into a safe place, I would hope that they are supported in that journey,” Mr Crisafulli said at a press conference.

“And we want everyone to be good corporate citizens and good community citizens at the moment,” Sydney Morning Herald quoted him as saying.

A spokesperson for Scentre Group, which operates Westfield shopping centres, confirmed that parking was free at locations within the cyclone warning zone on Thursday.

However, they cautioned that they could not guarantee the safety of vehicles stored there during or after the cyclone.

Cases of the deadly bacterial infection melioidosis have surged in north Queensland following this year’s devastating floods, with 119 infections reported—more than three times the number recorded in the same period in 2024. Sixteen people have died so far.

Of the confirmed cases, 106 were detected in Cairns and Townsville. The disease, caused by the soil-dwelling bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, thrives in tropical regions and is typically triggered by environmental disruptions such as flooding.

The bacteria can enter the body through cuts, inhalation, or contaminated water consumption.

Associate Professor Jeffrey Warner, a microbiology expert at the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, described melioidosis as an “opportunistic infection” that primarily affects those with underlying health conditions, including diabetes and kidney disease. Heavy alcohol consumption also increases susceptibility.

The disease, often mistaken for severe respiratory infections, can rapidly progress to pneumonia and sepsis.

“Even when people present in well-resourced hospitals, the disease can be fatal,” the Guardian quoted Dr Warner as saying.

With Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaching, experts warn that further infections could arise, though the greatest health risks from flooding are likely to be mosquito-borne illnesses, fungal infections, and waterborne diseases.

Authorities have urged residents to take precautions, including wearing protective clothing and avoiding direct contact with floodwaters.

Cyclone Alfred was 240km east of Brisbane and moving west on Thursday with sustained winds near the centre of 95kmph and gusting to 130kmph, Bureau of Meteorology manager Matt Collopy said.

The storm is expected to maintain its wind strength before hitting land. But the greatest fears are for the expected flooding over a wide area.

Modelling shows that up to 20,000 homes in Brisbane, a city largely built on a river floodplain, could experience some level of flooding.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese said 660 schools in southern Queensland and 280 schools in northern New South Wales were closed on Thursday as weather conditions worsen.

The federal government had delivered 310,000 sandbags to Brisbane and more were on the way, Mr Albanese said.

“My message to people, whether they be in southeast Queensland or northern New South Wales, is we are there to support you. We have your back,” Mr Albanese told reporters in the national capital Canberra.