Premier David Crisafulli says the system is starting to “pack a bit of a punch” as it moved closer to Brisbane.

Alfred is expected to become the first cyclone to cross the coast near Brisbane since Cyclone Zoe hit Gold Coast in 1974 and brought widespread flooding.

Cyclone Alfred has struck eastern Australia, leading to school closures and halted public transport. It is expected to reach Queensland’s coast by Saturday, affecting nearly 4 million residents and potentially flooding 20,