Ex-Cyclone Alfred live updates: cyclone downgraded to tropical low; BoM path tracking map for Brisbane, Queensland and NSW; hundreds of thousands without power; weather forecast and flooding – latest news

For those just joining us, here’s a recap of where the ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred situation is currently at:

• Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred has “essentially stalled for the moment” off the coast of Bribie Island, the Bureau of Meteorology says. The tropical low is expected to move northwards for the rest of the afternoon, before making landfall.

• All the emergency warnings in Queensland have been downgraded to “watch and act” level.

• Energex has indicated that full power restoration may take more than a week for southeast Queensland.

• 292,417 people in southeast Queensland remain without power, as of 2.15pm AEST. In northern NSW, just over 42,600 homes and businesses were without power as of 11am AEDT.

• NSW police are continuing to search for a man lost in flood waters last night near Dorrigo, after a ute was washed off a bridge into fast-running water. Efforts are being hampered by the intense weather.

• Flooding at Lismore in northern NSW is no longer expected to reach the height of the CBD levee – although major flooding is possible.

• Authorities across both NSW and Queensland have continued to stress that the worst is not over. NSW premier Chris Minns said it was “crucially important that the public not dismiss this weather event as something that has already passed.”

The latest flood warning out of Lismore says water levels are no longer expected to reach the heigh of the Lismore CBD levee.

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said authorities were “ready in the possibility of an overflow.”

The warning from the Bureau of Meteorology reads:

River levels may reach major flood levels Saturday afternoon. River levels are no longer expected to reach the height of the Lismore CBD levee (10.6 metres) during the afternoon.

Donna Gates said there had been no local rescues in the past 24 hours – meaning people were sheltering at home and were safe, and “that is the best news we could possibly have.”

But she warned this is “not over yet” and there was the “potential for more rain”.

She said 150 signals were out at intersections currently, and Energex was working to address this.

They are prioritising the repairs and they are sending people out to man those intersections wherever possible.

Four people were also taken to hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning, Gold Coast mayor Donna Gates said:

It seems they were using a personal generator inside and so my message to everyone is, if you have a generator, it needs to be appropriately ventilated and preferably outside. The people are fine, by the way, so that was good news.

The Gold Coast acting mayor, Donna Gates, is providing an ex-tropical cyclone update.

She says there was 283mm of rain at Springbrook overnight, but the outlook was better today.

We are expecting possibly 100-200mm of rain, whereas yesterday the estimate was much higher of 300-400mm. It looks like Brisbane is going to get that now rather than the Gold Coast.

She says there was also major riverine flooding overnight, but “that risk has decreased as well”.

The Gold Coast mayor, Tom Tate, has reportedly landed back in Australia after holidaying in Los Angeles amid the cyclone.

News.com.au reports that Tate was spotted at Melbourne airport this morning with his wife, Ruth.

The Bureau of Meteorology started warning about a cyclone possibly hitting south-east Queensland several days before the NRL grand final in Las Vegas, which Tate attended. He then holidayed in LA.

The acting mayor, Donna Gates – who has fronted the media in his place all week – has defended his absence:

The mayor has made several attempts to get home but unfortunately all those flights have been cancelled. He is as up-to-date as I am on all cyclone developments.

I have personally spoken to him several times and sent him every situation report as they come through multiple times daily.

Guardian Australia has contacted Tate for comment.

The search for a man swept into NSW flood waters yesterday afternoon is ongoing, NSW police say.

The man was lost in flood waters last night near Dorrigo in the north of the state, when a ute was washed off a bridge into fast-running water.

He had climbed out of the ute into a tree about 30 metres from the riverbank, but emergency services were unable to reach him before he was swept away, and he had not been seen since.

Det Chief Insp Guy Flaherty said local police and emergency services had been attempting to access the area, with weather conditions preventing the use of aerial assets and specialist rescue crews:

We are dealing with an evolving, dynamic weather event which presents unique search and rescue challenges. Aside from the severe local weather and flood conditions, we have a responsibility to keep emergency personnel and volunteers safe from unnecessary risk …

We are using local knowledge to collate information as to how the river system progresses and identify key access points. But, again, we will only be looking at where we can safely put our SES and police into those areas.