Ex-Cyclone Alfred live updates: cyclone downgraded to tropical low; BoM path tracking map for Brisbane, Queensland and NSW; hundreds of thousands without power; weather forecast and flooding – latest news​on March 8, 2025 at 10:26 am

Minns ‘very concerned’ by reports of accident involving ADF personnel

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, says he is “very concerned” to hear reports of an accident involving ADF personnel.

They came to the Northern Rivers to help keep this community safe. NSW emergency services are currently responding on the scene and we will provide all support necessary.

Reports of trapped ADF personnel in crash at Lismore

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that its photographer Nick Moir was travelling from Coraki to Lismore when he encountered the accident, involving an Australian defence force vehicle.

Moir assisted in triage and first aid before ambulance, firefighters and police rescue arrived, the report states.

The Age reports the incident involved a large army troop transport, and that there were three trapped ADF personnel.

Thirty-six people have been injured in a road accident at Lismore, in northern NSW, involving at least one Australian defence force vehicle.

NSW ambulance received a call at 5.05pm about the incident. Initial reports suggested there were 22 patients, but this was updated to 36 just minutes ago.

Nineteen ambulances were dispatched to Tregeagle Road. It was not yet known what type of ADF vehicle, or how many, were involved.

Patients were transported to both Lismore and Tweed hospitals.

As we move into the evening, here is where the ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred situation is now at:

• Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred is now sitting just off Bribie Island as a tropical low, expected to slowly move west and cross the mainland between Maroochydore and Caboolture this evening.

• Heavy rainfall is set to continue across south-east Queensland and northern NSW during the weekend.

• Both regions are on high alert for flooding, particularly at Lismore and through northern NSW.

• In NSW, dozens of emergency warnings remain in place, with about 11,000 people under evacuation notices.

• Only one emergency warning remains in place for Queensland.

• Energex has indicated that full power restoration may take more than a week for south-east Queensland, where about 247,000 properties remain without power.

• In northern NSW, roughly 31,000 are impacted by power outages.

• The body of a man has been found in NSW, believed to be that of a 61-year-old who was swept into flood waters near Dorrigo yesterday afternoon.

• Authorities across both NSW and Queensland have continued to stress that the worst is not over, and people in affected areas should continue monitoring conditions.

A body has been found amid a search for a man who was swept into NSW flood waters yesterday afternoon.

The man, 61, was lost in flood waters last night near Dorrigo in the north of the state, when a ute was washed off a bridge into fast-running water.

He had climbed out of the ute into a tree about 30 metres from the riverbank, but emergency services were unable to reach him before he was swept away.

NSW police have confirmed the body of a man was located nearby about 4.30pm this afternoon.

While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing man. A report will be prepared for the coroner.

More photos of the damage and recovery effort

Here are some more photos that have been filtering through tonight, of the damage caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred and the recovery works that are under way.

The NSW SES has issued an emergency warning for East Bellingen, warning residents in the following locations to move to higher ground amid potential major flooding:

• Old Butter Factory, Doepel Street

• Mill Street

• Cahill Street

• Parts of Waterfall Way

The warning states that rising flood water is “making it unsafe to evacuate the area”.

You should immediately go inside a sturdy multi-storey building with access to upper levels, higher natural ground such as a hill, onto the roof of a sturdy building. Do not enter the roof cavity as you may become trapped. Move as high above ground as possible. You may now be trapped without power, water, and other essential services and it may be dangerous for NSW SES to rescue you.

Crisafulli says Queensland-NSW border doesn’t ‘separate our compassion for a fellow human’

Asked about the northern rivers of NSW, David Crisafulli says he has been speaking with the NSW premier, Chris Minns, every day.

While there is a border that separates our responsibility, it doesn’t separate our compassion for a fellow human … We will be there and we know that they will be there for us.

With that, the press conference wraps up.

Queensland premier says priority is re-establishing things that ‘make life normal’

David Crisafulli is now taking questions. He says his main priority right now is “to re-establish all of the things that make life normal again”.

Can we get power working? Can we get water running? Can we get roads [cleared]? That is our first priority, [as well as] making sure that as we repair things, we do it in a stronger way.

Energex representative provides update

A representative from Energex says more than 1,000 live power lines have been on the ground amid the ex-cyclone.

Please be careful, don’t assume that they are turned off.

He also reiterates a warning for those with generators, that they are dangerous if activated inside.

As we reported earlier, four people were taken to hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning, but they are OK. The representative says:

There has been an event on the Gold Coast where people were lucky, [it] could have ended in tragedy, so don’t operate them inside, please.

Police to doorknock emergency alerts in areas without power if needed

Shane Chelepy says his focus is now on critical infrastructure, and working to ensure communications and power get back up and running.

We are currently assessing our communities that have those limited communications and I can assure you that, if needed, emergency services will undertake doorknocking in those areas, should we have emergency messages to be delivered.

Only one emergency warning remaining in Queensland

The acting police commissioner, Shane Chelepy, is also providing an update, and says there has been no loss of life or missing persons in Queensland amid the ex-cyclone.

He says only one emergency warning remains in place, for people at Killarney to conserve water amid supply issues.

All other emergency alerts that have been issued have now been cancelled and we will continue to message the community as needed.

Flooding the main concern in coming days as ex-TC Alfred moves west

The representative says as the remnants of ex-TC Alfred move inland, an infeed of tropical moisture will drive “heavy to intense rainfall”.

We are expecting widespread totals of 300 to 500mm, and event totals of up to 700mm are possible up to Monday. The current radar images show bands of heavy rain wrapping around the southern and eastern flank of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. It is these areas of heavy to intense rainfall that are of most concern over the next 24-48 hours, as the system tracks west.

Localised falls of 100-200mm are possible during six-hour periods and these could lead to life-threatening flash flooding. In terms of the broader or more widespread rainfall totals of 300-500mm over multiple days, this is a concern for riverine flooding.

No longer a risk of a significant storm surge

A representative from the Bureau of Meteorology says ex-TC Alfred remains near Bribie Island and is “quite slow-moving”.

The wind will ease as we move through this evening … We are expecting ongoing coastal erosion. There is no longer a risk of a significant storm surge and sea levels are not expected to exceed the normal highest astronomical tide.