Partly just cliffs

Storm “Alfred” devastates beaches on the Gold Coast

The low pressure system caused heavy rainfall and flooding.

(Bild: DAVID GRAY)

Over the past few days, storm "Alfred" has ravaged Australia, taking some of the beautiful beaches on the Gold Coast with it. Tons of sand are missing from the beaches, which are now just cliffs. Reconstruction could take until the beginning of April.

Following the passage of storm "Alfred", the beaches on Australia's Gold Coast, which are popular with holidaymakers, have been partially destroyed, according to Australian media reports. Instead of soft sand, there are now only cliffs. Some slopes are up to six meters high. Reconstruction could take until the beginning of April, according to the mayor of Gold Coast, Tom Tate. "The beach will be open and it will be great."

According to experts, erosion - the removal of sand - is a natural process on sandy beaches. During extreme weather events, dunes intercept the waves and protect the infrastructure behind them. Over time, sand returns naturally. This process can take months or years. On the Gold Coast, however, it is accelerated by, among other things, pumping sand from the sea back to the coast, said Mayor Tate.

Tens of thousands still without power after storm
The storm depression had ravaged the states of New South Wales and Queensland over the past few days, causing heavy rainfall and flooding. The clean-up work has now begun. However, tens of thousands of households on the east coast are still without power, ABC reported. Electricity providers warned that it could take longer to repair the damage.

Originally, "Alfred" was a cyclone off the east coast of Australia. The cyclone then lost strength and was downgraded to a tropical depression before making landfall north-east of the metropolis of Brisbane on Saturday evening (local time) and moving further inland. One person died in the storm.