Australia readies as rare cyclone veers

A rare tropical cyclone veered towards Australia’s densely populated eastern coast, sparking emergency warnings, closing hundreds of schools, and threatening to flood thousands of homes. Tropical Cyclone Alfred would strike on Friday morning near bustling Brisbane city, forecasters said, the first typhoon to hit the region in more than 50 years. Almost 20,000 homes in Brisbane city alone are at risk of being inundated. — AFP