Cyclone Alfred latest: Flooded Australian states brace for landfall as body found

Fresh evacuation orders have been issued in parts of New South Wales due to flooding, with authorities warning residents to evacuate now before rescue efforts become impossible.

“You must evacuate now because evacuation routes may be cut,” regional authorities say in the alert.

“You should evacuate to stay with family, friends, or alternate accommodation in areas unaffected by flooding,” it added.

“If you remain in the area, you may become trapped without power, water, and other essential services. It may be too dangerous for NSW SES to rescue you, and buildings may not be able to withstand the impact of flood water.”

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred has weakened into a tropical low but continues to bring heavy rainfall, strong winds, and the risk of life-threatening flash flooding across southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales. Although the system has stalled off the coast, it is expected to gradually move inland over the coming days.

A tropical low is a weaker low-pressure system that forms over warm tropical waters and can either intensify into a cyclone or dissipate depending on conditions. Unlike fully developed cyclones, tropical lows lack a defined eye and strong wind circulation but can still bring torrential rain, gusty winds, and flooding.

Even though Alfred has weakened, saturated catchments and ongoing heavy rainfall mean flooding risks remain high. Authorities are urging residents to stay alert as rivers continue to rise and flash flooding remains a major concern.

Ex-cyclone Alfred continues to stall off the southeast Queensland coast, according to Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), with rainfall and flood risks remaining.

Heavy rain is converging along the coast, with 50-60mm already recorded since this morning and totals expected to reach 200-300mm in some areas, BoM Said. The Gold Coast, Scenic Rim, and Brisbane are likely to see the heaviest rain later today, continuing into the evening. BoM warns this will fuel dangerous flash flooding and major river rises, with flood peaks now expected overnight into Sunday morning.

Alfred is expected to drift inland over the next few days, but its slow movement means prolonged extreme weather. Rainfall is expected to ease early next week, but major flooding remains a significant threat. Authorities urge residents to stay updated and follow emergency warnings.

A 23-year-old man has been charged after allegedly threatening State Emergency Service (SES) workers and community members at a sandbag station in northern NSW.

Police said the incident happened at Corindi Beach around 2.30pm on Friday, when the man took sandbags and drove away. He allegedly returned an hour later, took more sandbags from the public, and then threatened an SES worker with a shovel before turning on other emergency workers and locals.

Officers arrested the man and seized a knife, a machete, and the shovel from his vehicle. He was taken to Coffs Harbour police station and charged with intimidation and possessing a knife in a public place.

He was refused bail and appeared at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday, where he was hit with an additional charge of intimidating a frontline emergency worker.

Buses will resume operations across Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, and Toowoomba from tomorrow, with normal or partial services in some areas, Queensland premier David Crisafulli said.

However, train services will remain suspended as authorities assess damage to tracks, particularly on the Gold Coast line.

“There’s a lot of assessment work to be done,” Mr Crisafulli said, adding that updates on rail services will be provided tomorrow.

All emergency alerts in Queensland have now been cancelled except for one, and no loss of life or missing person has been reported in the state, officials say.The only existing warning urges Killarney residents to conserve water due to supply issues.

A body has been found during the search for a 61-year-old man who was swept away in floodwaters near Dorrigo, northern NSW.

The man was lost after his ute was washed off a bridge into fast-moving water on Friday afternoon. He managed to climb into a tree about 30 metres from the riverbank, but emergency services were unable to reach him before he was carried away by the current.

NSW Police confirmed that a body was discovered nearby at 4.30pm on Saturday. While formal identification is yet to take place, authorities believe it is the missing man. A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Alfred spent more than 10 days in the Coral Sea, fluctuating in intensity as it struggled to maintain strength. According to Associate professor Iftekhar Ahmed, tropical cyclones feed off warm ocean temperatures, but as they move toward shallower waters, they weaken. “The cloud cover generated by the cyclone can also reduce heat gain in the water, limiting further intensification,” he said.

However, even a weakened system can bring destruction. “The wind power has reduced, and Brisbane and southeast Queensland have escaped the worst-case scenario, but Alfred is still dumping heavy rain. Flooding is the main impact to watch out for,” Dr Ahmed added.

Acting Gold Coast mayor Donna Gates says the city has fared better than expected after a tense night of damaging winds and heavy rainfall from Cyclone Alfred.

“We had winds of upwards of 100kmph last night,” she said in an update to reporters a while ago, adding that gale-force winds could still persist throughout the day.

More than 134,000 homes remain without power, with the city’s main priority now being to restore electricity to hospitals. Gates said Gold Coast University Hospital and John Flynn Private Hospital were the focus of restoration efforts, with John Flynn’s reactivation also being crucial for reopening the airport.

“I understand there’s a fair bit of work to do at the airport,” she said. “They are not ready to accept passengers.”

Meanwhile, major river flooding has been recorded at Currumbin and Tallebudgera Creek. Three evacuation centres remain open, with 122 evacuees seeking refuge overnight. However, two centres lost power, and authorities are working to restore electricity.

To support residents still without power, the council plans to open community centres and libraries as safe hubs where people can charge devices, access medical equipment, and get a hot drink. Ms Gates said updates on which locations would be available will be posted on the City of Gold Coast’s disaster dashboard.