One dead, multiple injured as Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred makes landfall near Brisbane, Queensland
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred made landfall north of Brisbane at 21:00 local time (LT) on Saturday, March 8, after stalling offshore for several hours. Multiple rivers have risen above flood levels, with flood warnings being in effect across Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW). At least one death has been reported, several people have been injured, and more than 350 000 homes were left without power.
Image credit: NSW SES
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred made landfall 55 km (34 miles) north of Brisbane at approximately 21:00 LT on Saturday, March 8, after stalling offshore for several hours.
Heavy rainfall associated with the system has been affecting coastal regions of Queensland and New South Wales since Friday, causing rivers to swell and widespread flooding. At least one person was reported dead due to flooding after his body was found near the town of Dorrigo at around 16:30 LT.
Emergency services were called to Wild Cattle Creek Bridge off Old Coramba Road, Megan, after a man was swept into floodwaters on Friday, March 7.
The 61-year-old man managed to exit his vehicle and climb onto a tree approximately 30 m (98 feet) from the riverbank. However, emergency personnel were unable to reach him before he was swept away. The town had been experiencing heavy rainfall due to Alfred, with reports indicating approximately 254 mm (10 inches) of rain from Friday night into Saturday.
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) reported that they had conducted 32 flood rescues by Friday night. They also responded to 1 003 incidents, 28 additional flood rescues, and 1 316 calls for assistance.
Water levels at several rivers are rising, with the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issuing multiple Major Flood Warnings for affected areas. The Wilsons River at Lismore peaked at 9.31 m (30.5 feet) at approximately 15:33 LT on Saturday before beginning to recede.
However, continued rainfall could cause the river to rise again, potentially reaching a major flood level of 9.7 m (31 feet) on Sunday.
Emergency services were called near Lismore shortly after 17:00 LT on Saturday following a crash involving two vehicles and 36 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel who were en route to assist communities
Although initial reports indicated 36 injuries, it was later clarified that 13 personnel required medical attention. They were transported to a hospital in Lismore, with some reported to be in serious condition.
Heavy rainfall and strong winds from the storm have caused power outages and widespread damage across the affected regions. A video shared by SES showed gale-force winds from Alfred tearing the roof of a home in Ballina.
State-owned power company Energex reported that more than 335 000 customers were without power as of 02:30 LT on Sunday, March 9.
“We are experiencing outages on the electricity network due to the impact of the cyclone. Gale-force winds and floods can cause extensive damage, so be prepared for prolonged power outages. Once the cyclone has passed and our crews can safely assess the network damage, we will provide estimated restoration timeframes for customers,” Energex said.
The threat of flooding remains ongoing, with multiple areas across Queensland and New South Wales under mandatory evacuation orders due to rising rivers and continued rainfall. NSW Fire and Rescue reported dispatching multiple teams to assist SES units in the affected areas.
References:
1 Body located during search for man missing in flooded creek near Dorrigo – NSW Police – March 8, 2025
2 Flood Warning – Wilsons – BOM – March 9, 2025
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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