<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>339723</docID> <postdate>2025-03-06 11:00:55</postdate> <headline>Premier urges residents to stay home as cyclone nears</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-339724" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20220331001641916233-original-1.jpg" alt="" width="1100" height="733" /></p> <caption>Northern NSW residents are bracing for a repeat of floods that devastated communities in 2022. (Jason O'BRIEN/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p class="wire-column__preview__author"><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Farid Farid</b> in Sydney</span></p> <p><strong>Anxious communities are hunkering down as Cyclone Alfred rapidly makes its way towards northern NSW, as the premier urges residents to stay put.</strong></p> <p>The State Emergency Service has warned all residents to remain indoors including in Lismore and Byron Bay - towns that were previously devastated by record-breaking floods three years ago.</p> <p>Around a dozen prepare to evacuate orders have been issued including for Ballina, Belongil and Kyogle.</p> <p>Underscoring the severity of the impending natural disaster, Premier Chris Minns has flown to Lismore thanking some 2000 SES volunteers who are stationed in the region.</p> <p>"Stay out of flood waters, stay at home during the peak of the storm - make good decisions," he said on Thursday.</p> <p>"We hope for the best, but we're prepared for the worst."</p> <p>The category two cyclone is expected to lash the east coast with heavy rain and wind forecast to peak on Thursday night and Friday morning.</p> <p>Gales with damaging wind gusts up to 120 km/h are expected to hit island communities between Double Island Point and Grafton on Thursday and continue on Friday.</p> <p>Cape Byron, the easternmost point of mainland Australia, will be in the eye of the storm with dangerous storm tides and destructive winds of up to 155 km/h predicted.</p> <p>Abnormally high tides and damaging surf conditions along the northern coast have also been recorded with warnings issued to avoid beaches.</p> <p>Major flooding at Thora and Bellingen is possible in the coming days according to the Bureau of Meteorology.</p> <p>Flights to Ballina have also been cancelled due to high winds.</p> <p>https://citynews.com.au/2025/ship-shape-sea-captain-bunkers-down-as-cyclone-looms/</p> <p> </p> </body>