Hundreds of thousands of Queenslanders are without power after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred arrived over the weekend, with damaging winds, heavy rain, and flooding.
Some 320,000 people were experienced power outages, with northern NSW, the Gold Coast, and Hervey Bay among the worst hit areas.
Related article: Brisbane braces for prolonged outages as Alfred approaches
Alfred’s overnight farewell lap saw roofs ripped off buildings and powerlines dismantled, plunging hundreds of thousands of residents into darkness.
Ergon and Energex crews are working around the clock to restore power and repair damage to the network in affected areas.
“Currently, there more than 1,600 lines on the ground, torrential rain and flooding, and debris everywhere. At 9am there were 25,000 customers in the Toowoomba LGA without power and 5,000 across the Fraser Burnett area where there’s intense rain and flash flooding,” Ergon Energy Network said in an update.
“Local Darling Downs and Fraser Coast crews are working on power restoration, while other Ergon crews from further afield are pitching in for the hard-hit South East.”
The remains of the system are likely continue bringing strong winds and potentially heavy rain to southern inland Queensland this week, with many areas now feeling the full effects of the tropical low.
Related article: Ergon crews battle elements to restore power in North Qld
Residents are warned to be on the lookout for fallen powerlines, especially those that could be tangled in debris or hidden by flood waters.
Report anything you see ASAP to 13 16 70 or 000, stay at least 10 metres clear, and warn others. Treat any powerline as though it’s live and deadly.
