Alfred is forecast to make landfall near Brisbane, the capital of Queensland and Australia’s third largest city.

Violent winds toppled power lines Friday as a tropical cyclone inched towards Australia's eastern coast, sparking evacuation orders and leaving more than 50,000 homes without electricity.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred will cross the coast near the area of Brisbane late Friday or early Saturday. Forecasters are predicting damaging winds, heavy rain and storm surges, and authorities have issued warnings about extreme flooding.

Residents are stacking sandbags to protect low-lying properties ahead of a tropical cyclone that is forecast to become the first in 51 years to hit the Australian east coast near Brisbane, the nation’s third-most populous city.

But while authorities have been warning residents to stay indoors as Cyclone Alfred approaches, die-hard surfers have been throwing caution to the increasing wind. "This is what we look forward to," said Jeff Weatherall as he waited for a jet ski to pick him up from Kirra beach and carry him into the big waves.

From Byron Bay to Brisbane and beyond, the effects of Tropical Cyclone Alfred are being felt on Friday morning.

Rain was pouring down in Brisbane, Queensland, as Tropical Cyclone Alfred neared the Australian coast. More Videos. Trump warns Hamas as US holds unprecedented talks for Gaza host