‘Rare’ Tropical Cyclone Alfred bears down on Australia’s east coast

Members of the State Emergency Service inspect Tropical Cyclone Alfred on the Bureau of Meteorology satellite view at the New South Wales SES headquarters, in Sydney, on March 5, 2025 [Bianca De Marchi/AAP via Reuters]

Millions of people on Australia’s east coast are bracing for their first tropical cyclone in more than five decades as authorities urge residents in flood-prone areas to evacuate their homes.

Storm warnings affected millions of people on Wednesday along more than 500km (311 miles) of coastline in the states of Queensland and New South Wales amid warnings that Tropical Cyclone Alfred could bring winds of up to 155km/h (96mph).