Millions of residents along Australia’s eastern coast are bracing for the arrival of a very slow-moving storm, the strongest tropical cyclone to threaten the region in more than 50 years. Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday with the strength of an Atlantic tropical storm.

SYDNEY: Thousands of residents in Australia's east were ordered to evacuate ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred's landfall on Saturday (Mar 8) as the storm brought heavy rains, huge waves and

Residents in parts of northern NSW are being warned they could face almost a week of heavy rain and flooding as Tropical Cyclone Alfred nears the coast.

An emergency warning has been issued for a coastal NSW town, with fears heavy rainfall will close evacuation routes.

Alfred is forecast to make landfall near Brisbane, the capital of Queensland and Australia’s third largest city.

But while authorities have been warning residents to stay indoors as Cyclone Alfred approaches, die-hard surfers have been throwing caution to the increasing wind. "This is what we look forward to," said Jeff Weatherall as he waited for a jet ski to pick him up from Kirra beach and carry him into the big waves.

From Byron Bay to Brisbane and beyond, the effects of Tropical Cyclone Alfred are being felt on Friday morning.

Rain was pouring down in Brisbane, Queensland, as Tropical Cyclone Alfred neared the Australian coast. More Videos. Trump warns Hamas as US holds unprecedented talks for Gaza host