Heavy rainfall and flooding damaged homes and vehicles in Australia, with locals even reporting shark sightings in inland canals. Cyclone Alfred formed over the Coral Sea on Feb. 22, NASA Earth Observatory reported. It intensified for a week offshore causing heavy rainfall along the coast even before making landfall in Australia on March 8. The cyclone caused widespread flooding and toppled power lines. Local media reported 200 millimeters (7.8 inches) of rainfall in just two hours on the morning of March 9. The Clarence River in New South Wales peaked at 5.7 meters (19 feet) that day. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a televised speech that the situation in Queensland state and the northern part of neighboring New South Wales “remains very serious due to flash-flooding and heavy winds.” At least one man died after being caught in the floods and several others were injured, including 12 soldiers whose convoy got into an accident on its way to a rescue operation. Residents had to be rescued from their homes or cars after being trapped in rising floodwaters. The New South Wales Emergency Services received more than 6,000 rescue requests. Among the worst-hit areas was the Gold Coast in Queensland, which saw its long sandy beaches eroded by the storm and more than 100,000 people left without power. The city’s beaches have been closed due to cyclone debris. Surf Life Saving Queensland operations manager Nathan Fife also cautioned people about the eroded dunes, which can collapse on people, ABC reported. Local…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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