One man died after being swept away by floodwaters, and 13 troops were injured when two ADF trucks rolled
Towns in New South Wales face major flood warnings today as hundreds of thousands of people are without power.
Authorities continue to warn people in southeast Queensland and northeast NSW that the effects of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred are far from over, with seven major flood warnings or severe weather warnings across the two states.
“The situation in Queensland and northern New South Wales remains very serious due to flash flooding and heavy winds, heavy rainfall, damaging wind gusts, and coastal surf impacts are expected to continue over coming days,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday.
“I urge everyone to continue to listen carefully to the emergency authorities.”
The roof of a motel, damaged by strong winds, near the Gold Coast. Damaging wind gusts are expected to continue over the coming days. Photo / AFP
More than 300,000 Queensland power connections have been knocked out. About 16,000 homes and businesses were without electricity in NSW at 6am local time, on Sunday.
As ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred moves to inland Queensland, gusts of around 100km/h are being recorded. Flash flooding is occurring at Hervey Bay where 150mm fell in two hours to 6.30am local time.
About 500,000 people live in the city of Moreton Bay – residents were issued a severe weather alert on Saturday evening, asking them to stay indoors.
“Dangerous winds are impacting parts of city of Moreton Bay now, especially around Redcliffe Peninsula. People should move or stay indoors now to be safe,” the alert read.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) March 8, 2025
NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said today there had been “significant rain overnight, and it will continue today”.
“Some of the flooding that is happening is moving beyond just the northeast, and into the northwest,” she said.
“We are very pleased though, that the levy in Lismore did not overtop.
“You may think that it is okay to go back home, but until you are told to do so, please don’t.”
Live electricity wires, contamination, and debris were hazards above and beyond the water levels, Sharpe said.
Thousands of volunteers were in the affected regions, she said.
Preparations had been made in and around the central NSW town of Moree for this more widespread flooding, she said.
NSW State Emergency Service deputy commissioner Damien Johnson said 14,600 people were under various warnings. There are 141 warnings in place, including 36 emergency alerts.
“It’s really important the public continue to adhere to the warnings. The vast majority of the public have … a very small minority are continuing to drive through the flood waters.
“In the past 24 hours, SES crews had been called to 17 instances of people driving into flood waters,” Johnson said.
“Not only is it a danger to yourself and your family, it’s also dangerous for the volunteers, the emergency service workers who need to rescue you.”
People were rescued in all the 17 recent instances.
“I know that people are very eager and keen to get into their homes as soon as possible. The NSW SES is working very quickly to remove any evacuation warnings where we can; but it needs to be safe to do so.”
The NSW SES has been called to 917 incidents in the past 24 hours.
Johnson thanked volunteers who had travelled from other regions to the northeast and mid-north coast to help, as well as those employers who let SES volunteers off work.
A damaged home pictured after a tree uprooted by strong winds crashed into the structure in the suburb of Elanora as ex-cyclone Alfred passed near the Gold Coast yesterday. Photo / AFP
Flash flooding is possible for parts of the Northern Rivers, the DorrigoRanges, the mid-north coast and the Northern Tablelands on Sunday.
A warning from the Bureau of Meteorology, issued this morning, spells trouble for huge swathes of the Queensland population.
“Locally intense rainfall which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding may develop throughout today in bands of showers and thunderstorms over the Southeast Coast and southern Wide Bay and Burnett, possibly including Brisbane, Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast.”
“Six-hourly rainfall totals between 150 and 210mm and 24-hourly totals between 300 and 400mm are possible. If intense rainfall is detected, a separate Detailed Severe Thunderstorm Warning will be issued.”
Aside from flash flooding, there are five river catchments under major flood warnings on Sunday.
In NSW, the Tweed, Clarence and Richmond rivers are under major threat warnings.
People in the Northern Rivers, Northern Tablelands and parts of Mid North Coast and North West Slopes and Plains Forecast Districts are under threat of heavy rainfall and damaging wind gusts.
In Queensland, the Bremer River, Warrill Creek, and the Logan River are major flood threats.
