Cyclone Alfred Stalls Off Australia's East as Millions Brace for Impact
Cyclone Alfred stalled off Australia's east coast on Thursday, with officials shutting down airports, schools, and public transport while residents stockpiled supplies and sandbagged homes against flooding expected when the category-two storm hits. The Bureau of Meteorology revised its landfall forecast to Saturday morning near Brisbane, Australia's third-most populous city, bringing heavy rain, flooding, and damaging wind across the border regions of Queensland and New South Wales. Residents are bracing for a prolonged period of heavy rainfall and life-threatening flash flooding in northern New South Wales.
- The unprecedented stalling of Cyclone Alfred raises questions about the reliability of weather forecasting systems, particularly when it comes to predicting the exact timing and trajectory of major storms.
- How will the impact of climate change on extreme weather events like cyclones be addressed through policy and emergency preparedness measures in Australia's eastern coastal regions?