Millions of residents along Australia’s eastern coast are preparing for the impact of the most southerly cyclone to threaten the region in more than five decades.

Cyclone Alfred has intensified to Category 2 as it barrels towards Australia’s southeastern coast, prompting evacuation orders and a state of emergency. The storm is expected to make landfall on Thursday or Friday between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast and could be one of the most destructive in the region in decades,

Australia's east coast braced on Wednesday for a tropical cyclone that is swirling towards Brisbane, the country's third-most populous city, as authorities warned thousands of properties were at risk due to strong winds and flash flooding.