Australian basketball star and NBA champion Andrew Bogut has copped a fierce backlash on social media after mocking the impacts of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred in Queensland and New South Wales.
Thousands of residents are beginning clean-up efforts after the storm left a trail of destruction, damaging homes and cars, flooding roads, and eroding beaches.
Flood warnings remain in place across southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales, with many communities at risk – some of which have already endured multiple floods in recent years.
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Unlike most cyclones that strike quickly, Alfred moved unpredictably, making landfall later than expected after performing a loop-de-loop over the Pacific Ocean.
Before the cyclone hit, Bogut took aim at shoppers who emptied supermarket shelves in anticipation of the storm.
‘I was hopeful people of Australia had learned from 2020-2023. Evidently not,’ he posted on social media.
Former NBA star Andrew Bogut has launched several social media posts mocking forecasts and reporting of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred
Many areas of south-east Queensland, including Newmarket in Brisbane, were inundated with floodwaters
Large trees were felled across Queensland and New South Wales, forcing road closures and power outages
‘Bad storms coming to South East Queensland, and supermarkets are full of zombies raiding the shelves like we are about to not see food for six months.
‘One thing is for sure though – easy to tell who can be so easily scared by the media. Be safe and don’t take silly risks, but not sure 18 loaves of bread and 15 cartons of eggs will save you.’
As the cyclone battered homes, felled trees, and left thousands without power, Bogut mocked the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
‘Great news, the mainstream media and BOM got it wrong… again. But remember, take their predictions for 2030 and beyond seriously,’ he posted.
His comments drew sharp criticism from Aussies battling in the aftermath of the ex-cyclone.
‘Hey big fella, 20+ hours without power in my suburb and now flooding. Looks like BOM got it right. Stay in your lane,’ one user responded.
‘Pull your head in – plenty of people in trouble in northern NSW,’ added another.
However, Bogut doubled down, shifting his focus to Australian media.
Locals who went through the cyclone slammed Bogut for his posts about Alfred and its impacts
Others defended the basketball star, saying the storm had been over-hyped in the leadup
‘I followed MSM. Category 2? Morphing into Category 3? Scaring people into clearing out grocery stores, leaving other families with nothing?’ he wrote.
‘As I said, we all need to take precautions and not take silly risks like the idiots getting stuck on beaches, but making everyone mass panic and stress? MSM is a virus.
‘Pull your head in if you believe their reporting was helpful.’
Bogut’s comments sparked further debate, with some defending the BOM’s forecasts.
‘Would you be happier if MSM underestimated the impact?’ one user asked.
‘I like most of what you write, but this is way off. I lost power for 30 hours and only just got it back. I have friends and family still waiting after more than three days. We were lucky it wasn’t worse,’ another added.
Meanwhile, Queensland and New South Wales continue to recover from Alfred’s impact.
Electricity outages peaked at more 450,000 homes, with Queensland Premier David Crisafulli calling it the state’s ‘largest-ever loss of power’ from a natural disaster.
Many areas of both Queensland and New South Wales remain under water from the deluge
Some regions could take weeks or even months to recover from the damage caused by Alfred
On the Gold Coast, residents of newly built luxury apartments reported rain seeping through windows into their high-rise homes.
Elsewhere, falling trees crushed cars and houses, with at least one incident sparking an electrical fire.
Flooded roads have caused widespread closures and traffic signal outages, further disrupting daily life.
Tragically, at least one fatality has been reported, with four others still unaccounted for. Several injuries have also been recorded, including those from a road collision involving the Australian Defence Force during the storm’s peak.