Cyclone Alfred Strikes Australia: Floods, Power Outages & Rescues Continue

Cyclone Alfred Strikes Australia: Floods, Power Outages & Rescues Continue

Hundreds of thousands of individuals lose electricity in Australia following a cyclone that had brought unstable weather to the eastern coast.

Northern NSW and southeast Queensland commuters began the clean-up operation on Sunday after the tempest knocked off power lines and trees and caused widespread flooding.

The body of a 61-year-old man was discovered in floodwaters on Saturday, and 12 soldiers were in hospital after the convoy in which they were travelling encountered difficulties en route to undertake rescue operations.

The storm had weakened when it hit near Brisbane on Saturday evening, but on Sunday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cautioned residents of the continuing wild weather and threat of flooding.

"The situation in Queensland and northern New South Wales remains very grave with flash flooding and heavy winds," Albanese continued.

"Heavy rain, damaging gust winds and coastal surf impacts are likely to continue during the next couple of days."

Cyclone Alfred had been hanging around on the east coast of the country for days as a category two cyclone before it subsided into a tropical depression on Saturday.

By Sunday night, rescue teams had made more than a dozen rescues in Queensland and NSW—the majority of them of individuals who had been pinned by floodwaters in their homes or vehicles. The NSW State Emergency Service said it had answered more than 6,000 requests for assistance.

Nearly 290,000 homes in the stricken areas remain without electricity, and power utilities have cautioned people that the power might not be restored for days.

Police Sergeant Saturday reported that they had located a body during the search operation for a missing 61-year-old man missing since Friday afternoon when his car was washed off the road in floodwaters near Dorrigo, northern NSW.

Emergency workers saw the man fleeing from his vehicle and onto a tree along the riverbank, but the rescuers were too late to reach him as he was carried away.

In a separate collision on Saturday, 12 soldiers were injured as their convoy was involved in an accident in Lismore, some 200km south of Brisbane, during a journey to a rescue and recovery mission.

The two soldiers were admitted to hospital on Sunday, two of them critical, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns announced at a press briefing.

"We wish a quick recovery for all these young soldiers," he said.

Queensland law enforcement authorities said they have yet to receive any dead or missing persons in the state due to the weather conditions.

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