Residents who prepared for the cyclone now have little to do but wait and see how their efforts will pay off against the rising water.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Australia's Queensland state are without power after Alfred, a downgraded tropical cyclone, brought damaging winds and heavy rains, sparking flood warnings. Some 316,

One man died in floodwaters, the authorities said, and over 330,000 customers were without power in South East Queensland.

Ex-tropical cyclone Alfred lingered off the south-east Australian coast on Saturday and forecasters said Brisbane is likely to miss the worst of the storm, a relief for millions of residents in the region who have been staying indoors.

Cyclone Alfred struck the east coast of Australia late Friday, unleashing strong winds, rough surf and dangerous rip currents along popular beaches over the weekend. An estimated 10 to 15 inches fell around Brisbane and on Moreton Island during the storm.