Fears for Brisbane CBD and south, Gold Coast and northern NSW as more evacuations ordered

Cyclone Alfred’s tracking has been updated as more evacuation warnings are issued in NSW.

Residents in Cyclone Alfred’s danger zone have been warned they only have hours to escape, while there are fears an entire coastal city in northern NSW will be inundated with water.

But the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has noted a major change in Alfred – it appears to have slowed down. It’s now travelling westwards at around 8km/h.

It had been expected to make landfall potentially as early as late Thursday. However, it is now forecast to cross the Queensland coast in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Early in Friday morning, the NSW State Emergency Service said it had received more than 6000 calls regarding 3500 incidents prior to Alfred’s arrival.

It said there were 97 warnings in northern NSW. More “prepare to evacuate orders” have been issued on Friday including areas of Murwillumbah, Mullumbimy and close to Port Macquarie.

A warning sign in front of a flooded road can be seen on the outskirts of the coastal town of Ballina, NSW. Picture: David Gray/AFP

Hair customer Georgie Buckton looks on as hair salon worker Mikayla Gushal and salon owner Susanne Nicholson tape and protect windows at Thorneside, Brisbane. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Members of Eastern Suburbs Soccer Club fill sandbags at Heath Park in Brisbane, Australia. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

Read on for more updates.

Originally published as Fears for Brisbane CBD and south, Gold Coast and northern NSW as more evacuations ordered