The outer bands of Tropical Cyclone Alfred are lashing Australia’s east coast with wind and rain as the rare southerly storm’s eye inches closer to landfall expected on Saturday morning.

In short: the danger is not over. Residents in affected areas should remain cautious and heed official advice, to keep themselves safe.

Before and after pictures of Australia’s east coast show the true scale of devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Alfred. What was once a paradise for surfers, with golden, sunlit sands, became a battleground as waves as high as ‘three or four-storey buildings’ slammed into the coastline.

Cyclone Alfred has weakened into a tropical low, but its impact remains severe across Queensland and NSW. Over 300,000 people are without power, and flood risks persist as heavy rain lashes Brisbane.