Cyclone Alfred stalled off Australia's east coast on Thursday delaying landfall as officials shut airports, schools and public transport and residents stockpiled supplies and sandbagged homes against floodwaters expected when the category-two storm hits.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is approaching Australia’s east coast, bringing destructive winds up to 100 mph. Residents are urged to evacuate and prepare for potential flooding and prolonged impacts.

Australia braced for a rare east coast tropical cyclone that is swirling towards Brisbane, its third-most populous city, with authorities urging residents in flood-prone suburbs to evacuate soon.

The tropical storm, named Alfred, is on track to bring dangerous winds and flooding along the coast of southeastern Queensland, including the country’s third-largest city.

Millions of residents along Australia’s eastern coast are preparing for the impact of the most southerly cyclone to threaten the region in more than five decades.

Millions of Australians have been warned to prepare for Cyclone Alfred, a dangerous storm that will bring widespread disruption to southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. It's extremely rare to see a cyclone as far south as this which will impact the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.