South Burnett locals are asked to stay alert regarding Tropical Cyclone Alfred which is expected to make landfall on late Thursday and forecast to travel past the region, with meteorologists warning heavy rain and winds may cause damage.
TC Alfred headed due west toward the Queensland and New South Wales coast earlier this week, bringing with it sustained winds of 95 kilometres an hour as well as gusts of up to 130 km/h.
As it impacts Australia on Thursday, areas as far north as K’gari and as far south as Grafton are projected to be in the firing line as a result of flooding and wind damage.
However, Alfred’s movements inland following its first impact on the coast are still unconfirmed as of writing, with models by the Bureau of Meteorology stating the cyclone may travel through the Western Downs and Darling Downs regions south of the South Burnett.
North Burnett Regional Council stated that, at this stage, “no significant impacts” were expected in the North Burnett, however scattered showers and increased winds were possible.
Should the predictions come to pass, TC Alfred’s impacts will still be felt across the South Burnett region in particular, with the Bureau predicting heavy rain and destructive winds over 130 km/h for Kingaroy on Thursday, followed by more rain and gusts over 90 km/h the next day.
On its predicted path, the cyclone is set to further impact South Burnett towns as far north as Murgon.
“Heavy to locally intense rainfall which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding may occur near and south of the cyclone centre,” the Bureau stated on Tuesday.
The South Burnett Regional Council told its residents to be “prepared but not alarmed” regarding any changes to TC Alfred’s projected path and effects, which may change closer to the storm’s movement toward the coast.
“[W]e would encourage residents to think about their plan if the region was to be impacted, particularly from further rainfall across the catchment,” said South Burnett mayor Kathy Duff.
Residents are urged to check on their emergency survival kits and consult Bureau forecasts as well as the South Burnett Disaster Dashboard for TC Alfred’s latest movements.
To learn about cyclones, visit getready.qld.gov.au/getting-ready/understand-your-risk/types-disasters/cyclone-and-storm-surge
To find out how to pack an emergency kit, visit getready.qld.gov.au/emergencykit
You can find the South Burnett council’s Disaster Dashboard on dashboard.southburnett.qld.gov.au
Ahead of the wild weather, North Burnett Regional Council also advises residents to keep up to date with their disaster management dashboard: emergency.northburnett.qld.gov.au/
