The tropical cyclone has weakened into a tropical low pressure system as it approaches Brisbane, Australia's third most populous city, bringing heavy rainfall that is expected to hit coastal areas for several days.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred was expected to become the first storm to cross Australia's east coast near the Queensland state capital on Saturday since 1974.
However, by morning it had weakened to a tropical low, which is defined as sustained winds of less than 39 mph.
The system is expected to then move across the coast north of Brisbane between Bribie Island and the Sunshine Coast region, 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 said.
Cyclones are common in tropical north Queensland, but rare in the temperate and densely populated south-eastern corner of the state, which borders New South Wales.
A 61-year-old man remains missing after being swept away by a river near Dorrigo in New South Wales and a woman suffered minor injuries when a house lost its roof in the Queensland border town of Gold Coast on Friday, police said. The woman was one of 21 people evacuated from the building.
More than 330,000 homes and businesses were left without power on both sides of the border, the majority of them on the Gold Coast, where strong gusts of 66mph were recorded on Friday evening.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
