Former locals have been dealing with the fall-out from Cyclone Alfred, in south-east Queensland over recent days.
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Lynette Balmer, Grace Chabau and David Oxley are three former Deniliquin residents who have spoken to the Pastoral Times about their experiences.
Cyclone Alfred was downgraded to a tropical low as it approached the mainland on Saturday, but has still caused significant damage in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales.
“We have been hit with the storm, which is the result of cyclone Alfie. We are flooded into our estate and the flooding is supposed to continue all week,” explained Lynette Balmer.
“We have emergency supplies (which) we had ready for the cyclone. We have an emergency box with batteries, torches, radio and power banks for the phones.
“We have heaps of fresh water and have frozen the majority to help keep the fridges cold if we lose power. We have provisions for the six of us which will last over two weeks (been through this before with tropical cyclone Oswald). We will be staying inside and safe,” she said.
Grace Chabau, who is on the Sunshine Coast, was preparing for the cyclone late last week.
“Currently waiting for it to hit us; is only 80km away currently all shops are shut, schools, daycare etc. It’s super eerie and has literally been the calm before the storm.
“We managed to secure some bottled water today and now bunkering down at home with the kids waiting for it to hit.
“Hoping we get the outskirts of it, but at the same time it is unknown and just one big waiting game,” she said.
Another former local, David Oxley, who lives on the Gold Coast, was able to speak to his own experience with preparation for the cyclone.
“It’s still about 160km off the coast,” he said late last week. “Still expecting it to hit just north of Brisbane, with the worst of it to come closer to landfall.
“A little breezy (gusts of around 70km/h) and was raining heavily on and off during the night.
“I guess no-one knew what to expect, so everyone is taking precautions,” David said.
As well as the threat of the cyclone itself, another important factor being considered was rations, especially making sure there was plenty of food and water.
“There are so many people here who have never experienced a cyclone before and are excited and going a little too far in their preparations,” David said.
“Taping windows, tying trampolines down, buying everything in the supermarket- especially a million packs of toilet paper, bread, bottles of water.
“Generators are currently a hot item, butane gas stoves, gas bottles, torches, candles and power packs to charge phones,” he said.
In the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred, more than 300,000 homes were without power.
At least one fatality has been reported, a man from northern NSW, with many other injuries including Defence Force personnel involved in a vehicle accident.
Yesterday morning there were further severe weather warnings and major flood watches issued.
Parts of south-east Queensland and northern NSW continue to be lashed by driving rain, with flash flooding as the system moves further inland.