Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs As Tropical Cyclone Alfred hurtles towards Australia’s east coast, cafe owner Quat Vu is as ready as he can be.His Brisbane-based Eightysix Cafe was inundated during the 2022 floods which devastated more than 20,000 homes and caused $2 billion in damage.“We know what to expect and we had a bit more time to prepare,” Mr Vu said.The eye of the category 1 storm crossed the Moreton Bay islands overnight and is on track to hit Brisbane in less than three hours, around 6am local time. Blue translucent tarps line his brick cafe’s windows, hunkered down with lines of yellow and white sandbags.“We had (sandbags) to a certain height but then we got the latest news about what the cyclone is doing and how it is going to dump a lot more rain so we’re just getting ready,” he said.It’s a team effort across southeast Queensland, as neighbours and locals chip in to prepare for Alfred’s arrival.Mr Vu is among millions of residents across two states bunkering down.Flash flooding in Lismore on Friday night.Credit: NIck MoirWinds up to 100km/h and widespread rainfall totals of 300mm to 500mm are expected across the duration of this event, leading to major flood risks, the bureau said.Those in NSW’s Northern Rivers face an anxious wait, with about 19,000 residents told to leave.Major flooding is expected along the Logan, Tweed, Wilsons, Richmond, Nambucca, Hastings and Brunswick rivers, with the threat of intense and prolonged rain driving rapid and dangerous river rises during the state’s first cyclone in 35 years.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a team of 66 disaster response personnel have arrived from New Zealand to assist.AAP
