News
4 March, 2025
Supermarket shelves emptied as households prep for Category 2 storm
SUPERMARKET shelves were being stripped bare, gas bottles sold out and sandbagging stations forced to replenish as households prepared for a rare tropical cyclone to hit the southeast later this week.
Adding to fears about the potential impact of Cyclone Alfred were warnings from authorities that households could be without power for days in a worst-case scenario.
“We are putting all the preparations in place and we are asking all Queenslanders to do the same,” Premier David Crisafulli told ABC radio on Tuesday.
“We are dealing with a very heavily populated part of the state… that hasn’t seen a cyclone for many years, in fact many decades.”
Bribie Island, Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast were expected to feel the first brunt of Alfred, although there was uncertainty if that would be Thursday evening or Friday morning.
“Alfred’s intensity may fluctuate between category 1 and 2 over the next few days, but it is forecast to cross the southeast Queensland coast at category 2 strength late on Thursday or early Friday morning,” a Bureau of Meteorology update on Tuesday morning stated.
BOM modelling as of Tuesday morning showed it would hit the Moreton region as a category 2 north of Brisbane.
“Damaging to destructive winds are expected to accompany the system on landfall, with peak gusts of 140-150km/h expected near the centre of the system on landfall, and widespread gusts of 80-120km/h expected to expand a considerable distance from the centre of the system.”
While panic-buying had stripped supermarket shelves earlier this week, retailers had the capacity to restock and people were being asked not to panic.
“My message to supermarkets is, to do all you can to re-stock,” Mr Crisafulli said.
