As Tropical Cyclone Alfred prepares to cross the South-East Queensland coast, Queensland Police are reminding residents to be aware of Emergency Alerts which may come from an unfamiliar phone number.
Brisbane Disaster District Co-ordinator Acting Assistant Commissioner Rhys Wildman said throughout the coming days people may receive emergency warnings via calls or texts from +61 444 444 444.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Wildman said Emergency Alert text messages were sent to everyone within a certain geographical location during emergencies and disasters.
“Police are reminding everyone not to block the Emergency Alert number and save it to your contacts,” he said.
“These texts contain potentially life-saving information that includes advice on how to take action to protect you and your loved ones.”
Acting Assistant Commissioner Wildman said police were continuing to ensure the community was prepared for Cyclone Alfred which latest tracking shows crossing the coastline near Redcliffe Saturday morning as a category 1 system after travelling over Moreton Island as a category 2 storm earlier that morning.
He said after pre-deploying to the Moreton and Bay Island communities on Tuesday to support preparation efforts, hundreds of police spent Wednesday doorknocking low-lying at-risk areas across mainland Brisbane, including Victoria Point, Nudgee Beach and Sandgate, advising people who wanted to stay with friends and family in a safer location, to do so as soon as possible.
“Police are conducting proactive patrols and continuing to ensure the community is prepared for Tropical Cyclone Alfred.”
Acting Assistant Commissioner Wildman said residents main resource for information should be their local council disaster dashboard.
“It is imperative for your safety that you follow all safety warnings and receive up-to-date information from reputable sources regarding the location and risks of this severe weather event.”
