A woman stands near a flooded street in Lismore, New South Wales, on March 9, 2025, using her mobile phone. The area was hit by heavy rain and strong winds from Alfred, a former tropical cyclone. REUTERS
The Australian government will provide financial assistance to workers who lost income due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. The storm caused severe flooding, power outages, and property damage along the east coast. It made landfall north of Brisbane on Saturday night, hitting Queensland and New South Wales hard.
Authorities confirmed one death and reported that 12 soldiers were injured when their vehicles crashed in hazardous conditions. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that workers earning below the national average wage can apply for financial aid starting Tuesday.
“We've got your back. That's my message to the community,” Albanese said during a press conference in Lismore, a flood-affected town about 700 km north of Sydney. The government will provide up to 13 weeks of financial support, equivalent to the country’s unemployment benefit, JobSeeker. This comes in addition to a one-time disaster relief payment of A$1,000 announced earlier.
Widespread Power Outages and Flooding
More than 230,000 homes and businesses remain without power. Authorities warned that thousands of properties are still at risk of flooding after some areas recorded up to 433 mm (17 inches) of rain in the past 24 hours.
Meteorologist Sue Oates stated that while weather conditions were expected to improve, the danger was not over. “There is still significant flooding in south-east Queensland. More heavy rain could lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash floods,” she said.
Insurance Claims on the Rise
Insurance companies have already received nearly 3,000 claims from affected residents, with many more expected in the coming days. CEO Andrew Hall of the Insurance Council of Australia said it was too early to estimate the total financial impact. “We anticipate thousands more claims as people return home and assess the damage,” he said.
Australia has experienced devastating cyclones in the past. Cyclone Jasper in 2023 led to insurance payouts of A$409 million from 10,500 claims. However, Cyclone Tracy in 1974 remains the most expensive for insurers, costing an estimated A$7.4 billion in today’s value.
