Gold Coasters need to stay indoors with weather conditions becoming worse as Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches the southeast Queensland coast.
For safety everyone should to remain indoors as conditions will be dangerous as the cyclone gets closer to land.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred is now expected to cross the coast on Friday night or early Saturday morning.
As the cyclone gets closer to land you can expect:
- Winds to get stronger and continue throughout Friday
- Very strong winds that could knock down trees, powerlines, and blow roofs off
- Power, phone, internet, and water might stop working for a long time
- Damaging waves to cause tides to rise significantly above the high tide mark
- Dangerous surf to continue
- Heavy rain to continue, which could cause flooding, especially after the cyclone crosses the coast
A number of trees and powerlines have fallen over the roads in heavy winds.
We ask everyone to avoid the roads unless essential. If you must drive, take care and drive to the conditions. Remember – if it's flooded, forget it.
Energex is reporting more than 20,000 customers are without power. The most impacted areas include Biggera Waters, Bilinga, Bonogin, Burleigh Heads, Coolangatta, Mudgeeraba, and Tallebudgera.
If you see a fallen powerline, report it immediately by calling Triple Zero or Energex. Do not touch a fallen powerline directly or with another object.
The City's beaches are closed. Queensland Police have closed The Spit due to hazardous conditions.
All residents and visitors are urged to check the Flood Risk Mapping which shows the potential most likely and worst-case scenarios.
If your own home is not suitable, sheltering with family or friends is always the best option if possible.
The City has three evacuation centres open at the moment:
- Runaway Bay Indoor Stadium, Sports Drive, Runaway Bay
- Burleigh Waters Community Centre, 111 Christine Ave, Burleigh Waters
- Pimpama Sports Hub, 139 Rifle Range Road, Pimpama
You can bring your pets with you, but they will be kept in a separate location and cared for by Animal Management.
We urge people to ensure they have basic toiletries, medication, personal identification and other documents, a change of clothes, sleeping bag or blanket, water bottle, snacks and light meals, games and toys for their kids, and charges and power banks.
All beaches are closed. Stay away from the beach and waterways.
The City is experiencing hazardous surf conditions, with abnormally high tides.
The following City facilities are closed until at least Monday 10 March:
- Parks and playgrounds
- Sporting venues not being used as evacuation centres
- All aquatic centres
- All libraries
- Community centres that are not being used for evacuation centres
- All customer service centres
- Waste and Recycling Centres and landfills
Waste collection is also suspended across the City until Monday 10 March.
Do not put your bins out, secure them safely.
We will return on your next scheduled collection date.
We will be locating skip bins in areas that missed their collections due to TC Alfred when it's safe to do so, as an option for excess waste.
Support services are available if you need to talk to someone about the social impacts of natural disasters, on 13 11 14 or visit Support services for natural disasters
We urge everyone to stay up to date by visiting the City's Disaster and Emergency Dashboard at dashboard.cityofgoldcoast.com.au.
