Ex-Cyclone Alfred’s aftershocks have been far-reaching, shaking up communities as far north as Queensland’s Fraser Coast, which has seen almost two months of rain in six hours.
Residents in the tourist hotspot woke up to extraordinary flash flooding with some having to be rescued from homes and cars.
The area, about 250 kilometres north of Brisbane, copped a 230-millimetre drenching in just three hours. It usually receives about 130 millimetres a month from December to March.
It inundated some homes, and Torquay Road, usually a busy main street, was submerged.
“All the warnings yesterday in terms of the cyclone watch and the severe warning area did not include Hervey Bay,” Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said.
Extraordinary flash flooding swamped cars and one ute was seen driving with water up to the windows.
Acting Police Commissioner Shane Chelepy said police attended 35 jobs in the area, including 14 for people at “risk of losing their life”.
“We’ve had seven rescues from vehicles, and we’ve had nine dwellings that have had to be evacuated,” he said.
On Sunday morning, authorities issued an emergency warning for Hervey Bay and nearby K’gari, formerly Fraser Island, to shelter indoors.
Even the police station was ordered out.
How will Alfred compare to Australia’s worst cyclones?
The area remained in the severe weather warning area on Sunday night.
“Due to that heavy intense rainfall that we’re experiencing … we’re asking people to take shelter now,” Chelepy said.
In some areas floodwaters have receded, but the Fraser Coast community remains on edge.
“We’ll certainly be there to see things through for the Hervey Bay community,” Premier David Crisafulli said.
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