On Saturday, the tropical cyclone weakened to a tropical cyclone system as it approached Brisbane, Australia's third-largest city, bringing heavy rainfall expected in the coastal region for several days.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred has been predicted to be the first cycle to cross Australia's east coast near the Queensland capital since 1974.
On Friday it was moving west towards Brisbane, with maximum sustained winds at the epicentre of 59mph and gusts to 81mph.
However, by Saturday morning it had weakened to a tropical low, which is defined as sustained winds of less than 39 mph.
The system is expected to cross the coast north of Brisbane between Bribie Island and the Sunshine Coast region on Saturday, Bureau of Meteorology manager Matt Collopy said.
“Heavy and locally intense rainfall leading to flash flooding and river flooding is becoming a major concern as former tropical cyclone Alfred moves inland,” he told a news conference in Brisbane.
Cyclones are common in tropical north Queensland, but are rare in the temperate and densely populated south-eastern corner of the state, which borders New South Wales.
A 61-year-old man is missing after being swept away by a river near Dorrigo in New South Wales. A woman also suffered minor injuries when the roof of a home was blown off in the Queensland border town of Gold Coast on Friday, police said. She was one of 21 people evacuated from the building.
Almost 300,000 homes and businesses were left without power on both sides of the border, mostly on the Gold Coast, where strong gusts of 66mph were recorded on Friday evening.
Falling trees across the region damaged power lines, homes and vehicles on Friday.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
