A person riding a jet ski attempts to tow surfboard riders amid record-breaking waves as the outer fringe of Tropical Cyclone Alfred started whipping eastern Australia, in Coolangatta on 6 March, 2025. Photo: DAVID GRAY / AFP
Tropical Cyclone Alfred has crossed the islands off the coast of Queensland as a Category 1 system, bringing with it destructive winds and heavy rain.
An emergency alert was issued for Moreton Island just before 6pm on Friday night, telling residents to take shelter immediately as the impact of the storm was being felt.
The cyclone is continuing to track northwest and is expected to cross north of Brisbane later on Saturday.
The islands, and exposed coastal areas along the northern Gold Coast saw destructive wind gusts of up to 125km/h.
Man missing, power out to over 200,000
Emergency services have already responded to over 300 calls in southeastern Queensland, and flooding in New South Wales has already resulted in 4252 incidents and a number of rescues.
About 202,700 homes were without power across the state's southeast as of 1am Queensland time.
Rescuers continue to search for one man who was washed into floodwaters in NSW on Friday afternoon.
Emergency services said they received a call about a four-wheel drive that had been washed off a bridge and into fast-running water while driving across Wild Cattle Creek, about 23 kilometres northeast of Dorrigo.
Wine merchant Gerard McCord places sandbags in front of his store in Brisbane as tropical cyclone Alfred approaches. Photo: PATRICK HAMILTON / AFP
The male driver was able to get out of the car and secure himself to a tree branch about 30 metres from the river bank, where officers from Coffs/Clarence police district were able to speak with him.
However, shortly after 3pm, the man was swept from the tree and went underneath the water, and has not been seen since.
Evacuation orders stretching over dozens of communities in south-eastern Queensland and northern New South Wales have been issued.
The BOM has warned up to 800mm of rain could fall throughout the system, although the threat of storm surges has begun to ease.
Storm surges have already caused significant damage to parts of the coast, with the cyclone producing winds in excess of 100 kilometres an hour.
Gold Coast locals said parts of their famous coastline had already been completely washed away.
- ABC News
