More than 330,000 buildings without power as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred brings dangerous rain and winds

Swathes of south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales were on alert for flash flooding and damaging winds as more than 330,000 buildings were without power on Sunday morning due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

After the downgraded cyclone made landfall just north of Brisbane overnight as a tropical low, the Bureau of Meteorology was still predicting up to 700mm of rain and destructive gusts to hit the region through to Monday.

The hazardous outlook followed a string of tragedies.

On Sunday morning the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, confirmed that a 61-year-old man swept off a bridge by fast-moving flood waters near the NSW town of Dorrigo on Friday had died, with his body recovered late on Saturday.

The man’s ute was swept into flood waters at Megan, about 25km north of Dorrigo.

On Saturday two military trucks, each carrying 16 Australian defence force personnel who were helping road-clearing efforts, crashed near Lismore.

The first truck rolled, then the second did the same as it swerved in an attempt to avoid the first, officials said.

Of the 32 Brisbane-based ADF soldiers onboard the vehicles, 13 were injured , six seriously.

“Everyone at the scene did their best to look after their mates and I am hugely grateful to emergency services and healthcare workers for the first aid and ongoing care,” Albanese said.

He added: “These men and women are heroes who were on their way to help people in need. They were doing this at a time when some of their own families were bearing the brunt of Alfred. We will never take for granted the enormous sacrifice our soldiers make for us.”

Air traffic over south-east Queensland and northern NSW began its gradual resumption, after airports had shut due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, with Brisbane and Gold Coast airports hosting a handful of passenger services.

On Sunday about 315,000 buildings in south-east Queensland and 16,000 in NSW were without power.

The bureau warned of swollen rivers and flash flooding, with more rain looming.

“Today is all about the rainfall that’s likely to be experienced around south-east Queensland and far north-eastern NSW,” said a senior meteorologist, Dean Narramore.

Isolated rainfalls of up to 400mm were expected, with another trough from central Australia dragging the low-pressure system inland over northern NSW.

“By Wednesday, the weather system will finally shift all this wet weather to coastal parts of NSW and clearing mid to late week while southeast Queensland should start to see conditions easing from persistent rainfall on Monday,” Narramore said.

The region is also on alert for flash flooding on Sunday given the high rainfall predicted. Flash flooding was reported in parts of Brisbane, wheresuburban creeks began to spill over on Sunday after a night of heavy wind and rain. Enoggera Creek on the north side had already spilled over, swallowing bridges and walkways.

Saturday night brought far more severe weather than Friday. Toowoomba was hit by nearly 100km/h winds.

Major flooding was expected along the Wilsons river, which runs through Lismore. However, an emergency warning for Lismore’s CBD was reduced on Sunday morning from evacuate to “return with caution”, according to the NSW State Emergency Services.

As rivers start to recede, warnings will be adjusted respectively, he says.

Rainfall totals of the last six hours are at 50 to 100mm, indicating a decrease. However overnight rainfall was in excess of 200mm.

Major flood warnings remained in place for the Tweed, Richmond, Wilsons, Clarence and Bellinger rivers.

Lismore’s deputy mayor, Jeri Hall, said about 600 people had sought shelter in evacuation centres, and all eyes were on the city’s levees possibly overflowing.

Residents have been without power and water for 72 hours.

– with AAP