South East Queensland and northern NSW continue to experience rain and flooding in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Follow our ongoing coverage.

Very dangerous” thunderstorm warnings have been issued for parts of Queensland as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred caused widespread flooding and power outages.

Although now classified as a tropical low, the effects of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred have been felt most severely in the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Hervey Bay, and the Northern Rivers. Insurers have already received nearly 3,000 claims, a number expected to rise as residents return to assess the damage.

Significant damage and power outages are possible in the densely populated region of Queensland, where tropical cyclones impacts are not uncommon but direct landfalls are.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is forecast to cross the coast between the Queensland state capital Brisbane and the tourist city of Gold Coast to the south late Thursday or early Friday.

A slow-moving tropical storm crossed islands off Australia’s heavily populated eastern coast late Friday, lashing coastal suburbs with destructive winds and dumping heavy rain across the region.

Cyclone Alfred - which has been downgraded from a cyclone to a tropical low - has caused flooding, damage to buildings and left thousands without power across the eastern coast of Australia. Millions of people across Queensland and north New South Wales have been affected.

Ex-tropical cyclone Alfred has officially reached the mainland in Queensland's south-east bringing with it intense winds and fears of flooding.