Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred live: Queensland faces ‘biggest loss’ in power in over a decade from ex-cyclone

Mr Chelepy says 34 evacuation centres remain open, with 396 people currently staying there.

“And I’ve been advised through the disaster network that those evacuation centres will remain open, particularly as we move into the threat of flood-related issues,” he says.

Acting Police Commissioner Shane Chelepy says there has been no loss of life or missing persons as a result of the weather event.

“Which is frankly terrific at this stage,” he says.

Emergency services were called out to “a large number of jobs” across the Gold Coast and Brisbane areas overnight due to downed powerlines and trees.

“We did see an a apartment complex on Labrador on the Gold Coast suffer damage,” he says.

“Twenty-one persons were safely evacuated from that apartment complex and are now in our evacuation centres, with one lady suffering minor injuries, but she is in good health.”

Mr Chelepy says there were no “significant reports” of damage to houses or infrastructure on Stradbroke, Moreton Island or the lower bay islands as the system moved over.

Mr Collopy says rainfall totals of over 250 millimetres have already been observed around the Scenic Rim.

Widespread totals of 100 to 200mm have been recorded on the Gold Coast, “stretching up into the southern parts of Brisbane”.

“As the remnants of … Alfred moves inland, we will see more tropical moisture streaming across south-east Queensland and we are expecting widespread totals of 300-500mm, with localised amounts of 800mm plus possible in some areas,” he says.

“In terms of the flooding, that heavy to intense rainfall is expected to produce the risk of dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding, and widespread minor to major riverine flooding across much of the south-east.”

Matthew Collopy from the Bureau of Meteorology is speaking now.

He says ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred is now expected to move inland over the next 12 to 24 hours, and will track north of Toowoomba and further inland by this evening.

A severe weather warning remains in place across the south-east, with the risk of locally heavy to intense rainfall and the potential for damaging wind gusts continuing.

“The primary concern within the severe weather warning is for those locally intense and very heavy rainfall amounts,” Mr Collopy says.

“But there is also the chance of damaging wind gusts with the system, or with the rain showers and thunderstorms as the system moves inland.”

Mr Crisafulli says the Gold Coast University Hospital remains without mains power and has been running on generators.

“But there are a number of other key bits of infrastructure where we need to urgently re-attach power to,” he says.

The water treatment plants at Mount Cotton and Alexandra Hills are without power, with generators on site and staff urgently attempting to reconnect those, he adds.

“And it is a race against the clock to try to do that in the minutes and hours ahead before those reservoirs run out of water,” he says.

Mr Crisafulli says the 32 remaining water treatment plants are working.

Mr Crisafulli says almost 250,000 homes are without power.

“That’s the single biggest loss we have seen in over a decade since Oswald,” he says.

“The work needed to reconnect that is significant, but the ability and the desire of the men and women who will do it is without peer.

“Queenslanders need to know know that right now there are damage assessments being done and already crews are being mobilised to get that job done.”

Mr Crisafulli says 1,200 staff from Energex were prepositioned in anticipation of Albert’s landfall, and they will be joined by 800 staff from Ergon.

“A quarter of a million homes without power is a massive task, but it is a massive task that they are up to.”

Mr Crisafulli says the storm tide surge did not eventuate, but the next big challenge will be rainfall.

Over the past 19 hours, 240 millimetres was recorded at Springbrook, 200mm at Tallebudgera and 100mm at Mount Cotton.

“The challenges now are flash flooding, creek rises. They remain a real prospect with some of the rainfall predicted in the days ahead,” he says.

“We have to be ready for that prospect. With swollen catchments, the risk of flash flooding remains, I’m asking Queenslanders to continue to stay vigilant.”

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli says while ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred has been downgraded to a tropical low, “there are still significant challenges ahead”.

“Those four key challenges — waves, wind, rainfall and flooding — have been those four stages that different areas have worked through at different times,” he says.

Mr Crisafulli says overnight wind speeds of 107 kilometres per hour were recorded at the Gold Coast seaway, 93kph at the Brisbane Airport and 85kph at Redcliffe.

“We have seen some damage to some buildings. We’ve seen the loss of a roof off one of the apartment buildings, one of the older buildings on the Gold Coast,” he says.

“We’ve had quite a few instances of trees falling on homes, cars and powerlines.”

You can watch live using the YouTube stream below or follow along on the blog.

Police evacuated about 15 people from an apartment complex in Labrador on the Gold Coast overnight after the roof was blown off by strong winds caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

One woman was taken to hospital with minor injuries and the others were taken to the Burleigh Heads Evacuation Centre.

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North Stradbroke Island resident Kylie Taylor says it’s been a calm morning as the community awaits the full impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Residents on the Island lost power around 9pm last night and trees are down, but she says she slept pretty soundly through the night.

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Ms Taylor is the owner of a small brewery on the island and says it’s been a blow to business having no boats coming in since Wednesday.

She says as soon as it’s safe to do so, they’ll open up one of the floors to put on pizzas for locals.

Thanks for your messages this morning, we’re glad to hear you’re all staying safe.

How are things looking in your patch? You can drop us a line using the comment form above.

I cried a bit in relief when I heard that alfred had been downgraded to a low. With any luck the rain won’t be as heavy as expected either. I can hear a bird chirping away outside. 🙂 — Vicki

Well both toddlers woke up at about 10-11pm from the winds, and we could see it gearing up so took shelter, but it really didn’t get too bad here (Oxley). Feeling pretty lucky right now that the worst affect I’ll personally experience from the storm is a bad night’s sleep and a wet week. — Tara

All good here in hope island/ helensvale. Still have power, the canal is as full as I’ve ever seen it though. Just keeping an eye on it… — Olivia

We are on Bribie island so far so good! I’ve had Just made a cuppa still have power for now no thunder or lightning yet which is weird — Lee

Tumbulgum in northern New South Wales appears to have been sparred major flooding overnight, though the town still remains without power.

The Tweed River is currently sitting at minor flood levels of 1.8 metres, but the Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting it could reach major flood levels of 2.5 metres by late Saturday morning.

The town experienced some minor flooding in low lying areas but is mostly unscathed.

Soy bean crops near Murwillumbah have also survived the windy and rainy night.

There are also major flood warnings for the Tweed River at Tumbulgum, Nambucca River and Richmond River at Kyogle, Coraki Woodburn and Bungawalbyn.

Reporting by Victoria Pengilley

Reporting by Robert Burgin on the Sunshine Coast

After a lengthy build up, the Sunshine and Cooloola coasts can expect between 50 to 100 millimetres of rain in the next 24 hours, with some isolated pockets potentially receiving up to 200mm.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Narramore says there could be flash and riverine flooding.

“There will be locally intense rainfall from Gympie south,” he says.

ABC meteorologist Adam Morgan has unpacked it with News Breakfast:

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Reporting by James Tugwell

Essential Energy is warning customers to avoid damaged electricity wiring after a customer in Byron Bay received a shock from a submerged underground electricity pillar.

Operational managerMark Summers told ABC Radio that 39,000 residences are without power this morning, but residents should remain wary of all electronics and wiring.

“Just a reminder that all electricity networks must be treated as alive,” he says.

“Please make sure you stay well clear of it — at least eight metres from fallen power lines.”

He said the customer received a zap off the pillar they were touching at the time, which was submerged in water, but was otherwise uninjured.

“Obviously water and electricity don’t mix.”

Report any fallen power lines to Essential Energy’s emergency number: 13 20 80.

For residents in Lismore who still have the trauma and hardship of the 2022 floods fresh in their minds, it’s been an agonising wait for ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Resident Elise Derwin says there has been a lot more time to prepare for flooding and extreme weather conditions this time.

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“A lot of people have been able to get out of the CBD, they’ve packed up all of their things, put them in trucks, taken them out of town and a lot of residents have been ablet o pack up their homes,” she says.

“There’s definitely a lot of anxiety around the town not knowing how much of a major flood it’s going to be.”

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us this morning — you can let us know how you’re holding up using the comment form above.

It’s now a tropical low and no longer a cyclone, I’m so glad because reliving what that gc tornado was like, no thanks — Lucas

Light rain and occasional gusts of wind at 6am in Neranwood behind Mudgeeraba. The fierce wind settled during the night and we’re just waking up to the blackout. Mudgeeraba creek flooded so can’t get out even if we wanted to. — Georgina

It was a wooly night for sure several hours listening to the wind and rain. We have a boat on the water at the Goldy looks like it’s OK. We’ve been fortunate still with power at Moggill! Stay Safe — Andy

Anxious night, listening to the strong winds and watching trees outside, keeping an eye on Canal water in our backyard. Hopefully we have past the worst. Praying for all those who are badly affected — Semi

Thanks for the regular updates. Working at evac centre in Moreton Bay and all calm here and relieved at the current state of play. Hope the forecast prolonged rain doesn’t materialise. — Jo