Tropical Cyclone Alfred brings severe rainfall and evacuations

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to hit north of Brisbane around midday Saturday, bringing up to 800 millimeters of rain over 48 hours. Flooding and strong winds pose significant risks, with mass power outages already reported in Queensland and New South Wales. Evacuation orders are in place for 19,000 people in Northern Rivers, NSW, due to the cyclone's impact. Over 1,000 schools in Queensland have closed, and public transport services have been suspended. Authorities are conducting search and rescue missions as conditions worsen. The Australian Defence Force will assist with road clearance and damage assessments. The federal government has announced $15 million in funding for recovery efforts in both Queensland and NSW.