Tropical Cyclone Alfred's centre is expected to cross the coast early Saturday morning, with impacts already being felt across south-east Queensland and northern NSW.

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Early wind and rain from a rare tropical cyclone began lashing part of eastern Australia on Thursday as schools were closed, public transport was stopped and desperate residents got around shortages of sandbags by buying potting mix.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is now expected to make landfall early on Saturday morning—later than initial estimates that suggested it would strike southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales on Friday.

Residents in Cyclone Alfred’s danger zone have been warned they only have hours to escape, while there are fears an entire coastal city in northern NSW will be inundated with water.

Tropical cyclone Garance made landfall on the French Indian Ocean territory of Réunion on Friday, packing gusts of 166 kilometers (103 miles) per hour.