Cyclone Alfred has been making headlines for days, but it's only now that the reality of the situation is sinking in.
What was once a distant threat is now a looming reality, with the storm expected to make landfall late Thursday or early Friday. The tension is palpable, and the community is bracing for impact.
Surfers vs. the Storm
While the rest of us are preparing for the worst, surfers are reveling in the monster swells that Cyclone Alfred is bringing.
The beaches are packed with boards, and even surfing legend Mick Fanning has been spotted carving up the waves. It's a thrilling sight to watch, but a sobering reminder of the power of nature.
Panic Mode: Stocking Up and Boarding Up
In town, the panic is real. Supermarkets are being stripped bare, and residents are scrambling to stock up on essentials like food, water, and batteries.
Windows are being boarded up, and outdoor furniture is being moved to safety. The fear of power outages and water contamination is driving people to prepare for the worst.
Preparing for the Worst
The SES is urging people to fill bathtubs with clean water, prep emergency kits, and make sure their houses are cyclone-ready.
For many of us, it's a stressful and anxious time, trying to balance preparation with keeping our families safe and calm. The question on everyone's mind is: should we stay or go?
Community Spirit
Despite the fear and uncertainty, the community response has been incredible. Neighbors are helping each other secure properties, sandbagging driveways, and checking in on the elderly.
Local Facebook groups are providing real-time updates and support, demonstrating the kind of collective spirit that gets us through tough times.
Understanding the Risks
Cyclones are ranked on a scale from 1 to 5, with Category 1 being the least severe and Category 5 being catastrophic.
Currently, Cyclone Alfred is sitting at a Category 2, but there's a real chance it could intensify before it hits. The experts are telling us to stay glued to updates and be ready to move if needed.
Waiting Game
As the hours tick by, the wind picks up, and the rain intensifies. Conversations around the dinner table are forced-light, with jokes cracked a little too loudly to disguise the tension.
We'll play board games by torchlight, make blanket forts, and pretend that everything is just a normal night. But the fear is real, and the memory of the 2022 floods still sits heavy on our community.
Strength in the Face of Adversity
Amid the fear, there's strength. Strangers are offering lifts to evacuation points, people are opening their homes, and updates are rolling in by the minute.
There's a deep, unshakeable understanding that we're in this together. The storm is coming, whether we like it or not. All that's left is to hunker down, hold our loved ones close, and hope that when the sun rises, our world is still standing.
