Primarily on social media today I have seen people criticising media (that’s people like me folks) for somewhat over-egging the potential issues arising from a cyclone.
On TV, I have seen people playing in storm surges and even surfing in massive waves.
OK. Let me give it to you straight. I have been through a number of cyclones, most notably Joan in Port Hedland in 1975.
We lived in a fibro house in South Hedland (my Dad worked for the Main Roads Department) and as a result of that cyclone, we had no power for around 10 days or water for a week. My car was sandblasted down one side. Our rotary clothes line (that has a concrete block as a base) screwed itself into the ground so that the handle mechanism was at ground level.
That is an indication of the wind strength.
Additionally, we had water flowing through the house from the torrential rain.
Our neighbour’s house imploded at the height of the cyclone (around midnight as I recall).
Official reports are that no-one was killed, but that was simply, unlike Darwin, the year before with Tracy, that we were prepared and acted accordingly.
Yes, you’ll say, but Joan was category 5 with winds up to 200 kph. But Alfred will be puffing at between 90 and 120 kph and that is not a gentle breeze trust me. The power of a cyclone rating is logarithmic, not a simple multiplication factor.
In short, do NOT underestimate this cyclone if you are in the zone. These things can and have killed.
And above all, do NOT risk going outside to take photos or video. Wait until you hear the all clear.