The Australian government has announced financial relief for workers who have lost income following the impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which has unleashed severe flooding, power outages and property damage along the country’s east coast.
The storm landfall north of Brisbane, Australia’s third-most populous city, late on Saturday after being downgraded to a tropical low, lashing parts of Queensland and New South Wales.
Authorities confirmed that one person has died while 12 soldiers deployed for emergency assistance sustained injuries after their vehicles crashed in treacherous, rain-soaked conditions.
Also Read: Cyclone Alfred: ‘Extremely rare’ storm inches towards Australia coast, flights disrupted
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday unveiled a temporary income support package for affected workers, saying those whose earnings fall below the national average weekly wage will be able to apply for up to 13 weeks of assistance starting Tuesday.
“We’ve got your back. That’s my message to the community,” Albanese said during a press conference in Lismore, a town roughly 700 kilometres north of Sydney, which has been severely impacted by flooding.
According to Reuters, the government said the support payments would match the existing JobSeeker unemployment benefit rate, currently A$778 (US$490.76) per fortnight for a single person without children. The measure comes in addition to a previously announced one-off A$1,000 disaster payment.
More than 230,000 homes and businesses remain without power, while thousands of properties are under threat due to torrential rain, with some areas recording up to 433mm (17 inches) of rainfall in just 24 hours.
Although weather conditions are expected to ease, forecasters have warned that the danger has not yet passed.
“There is still significant flooding occurring throughout south-east Queensland,” said Sue Oates of the Bureau of Meteorology. “More intense rainfall is possible, and there is an increased risk of dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding.”
The Insurance Council of Australia reported on Sunday that insurers have already received nearly 3,000 claims related to the storm’s destruction.
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