Cyclone Alfred Crosses Queensland Coast

 Communities were at risk of major flooding, and officials warned that the storm could bring heavy rains and dangerous winds.

One man died near the small town of Dorrigo, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement on Saturday. The police said that a body found on Saturday was believed to be the remains of a man who had been reported missing in flooding in the town, which was pummeled with more than 10 inches of rain overnight after days of heavy downpour.

The man had been driving a car that was swept away, according to the police. He managed to get out of the car and onto a tree but was again overtaken by floodwaters before emergency workers were able to get to him.

“This emergency is not over,” said Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales. “The rivers are full, the rain is continuing and expected to keep falling in the days ahead, and wind conditions are very high and extreme.”

Thirteen army personnel were injured when two military vehicles crashed on Saturday near Lismore, a small city about eight hours north of Sydney, according to the Australian Defense Force. Emergency responders said earlier that 36 had been injured in the crash.

The officers were in the region to assist residents with the effects of the storm, according to a statement. Matt Keogh, minister for defense personnel and veterans affairs, said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that there would be an investigation into the crash.

Dozens of communities remained under evacuation orders in an area known as the Northern Rivers region, which includes parts of Lismore. The city was inundated in a devastating flood in 2022 that killed 22 people, with waters rising about 47 feet.

Forecasters said Saturday afternoon that there was a danger that heavy rainfall would lead to floodwaters overtopping levees in the city.

Mr. Minns said officials were aiming for a swift recovery in the storm’s aftermath, naming a point person to coordinate the efforts. In the 2022 floods, the authorities’ response was criticized by residents as inadequate and delayed, leaving people to take rescues and recovery into their own hands.