Storm Alfred in Australia: Over 330,000 Homes without Power, Widespread Damage

Sunday 09 March 2025 - 15:38

Storm Alfred has been wreaking havoc in eastern Australia since Tuesday, causing significant damage and multiple casualties. On Saturday, 8 March, thirteen soldiers were injured in an accident involving two military trucks on a rescue mission. One of the trucks veered off the road and overturned, while the second truck flipped over trying to avoid the first. Twelve of the soldiers remain hospitalized, two of them in critical condition, as reported by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns.

Also on Saturday, the body of a 61-year-old man was discovered after his 4x4 vehicle was swept away by floodwaters while crossing a bridge in northern New South Wales.

As of Sunday, approximately 310,000 homes in southeastern Queensland and at least 16,000 in northeastern New South Wales were without power. Essential Energy in Queensland warned that residents should expect to be without electricity for several days. The primary challenges for power restoration include rising water levels, swollen creek beds, fallen trees, and mudslides affecting access roads.

While Alfred has been downgraded to a tropical depression, it continues to bring strong winds to the Australian east coast, uprooting trees and knocking down power lines in southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. The storm has brought heavy rainfall, swelling rivers along the 400 kilometers of coastline in both states, triggering numerous flood alerts.

The situation remains dire in some areas, with Queensland and northern New South Wales still facing severe flash floods and violent winds. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned on Sunday that the heavy rainfall and the risk of sudden floods and significant river rises will continue next week, despite the storm weakening as it moves inland.