SYDNEY, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Ex-tropical cyclone Alfred that was downgraded to tropical low on Saturday has continued influencing some parts of Australia's states of Queensland and New South Wales (NSW), with floods, strong winds and heavy rains hitting several areas in the two states.

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said on Sunday afternoon that Alfred made landfall over the southeast Queensland coastline on Saturday evening and was weakening as it moved further inland on Sunday.

The bureau issued a major flood warning for southeast Queensland, Condamine and Border Rivers, and another major flood warning for the Bremer River and Warrill Creek.

It also issued other flood warnings at different levels, strong wind warning and severe thunderstorm warning for some areas in Queensland.

BOM said very dangerous thunderstorms were likely to produce heavy, possibly locally intense rainfall that may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding, as well damaging winds over the next several hours.

As for the state of NSW, the BOM issued several flood warnings on Sunday evening.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation quoted NSW State Emergency Service Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz as saying on Sunday evening that communities in the state's northwest were to be impacted in coming days, and the regions further south, including Sydney, could also start to feel the effects between Monday and Wednesday.

According to the news report, 254 NSW public schools were scheduled to remain closed until at least Monday. In Queensland, the state's Department of Education announced closures of 424 state schools, 170 independent schools and 89 Catholic schools.

It also said that 237,000 homes and businesses were still without power in Queensland, and 12,500 homes were without power in northern NSW Sunday afternoon.

The influence of Alfred included a man being swept into floodwaters in northern NSW on Friday afternoon and an accident involving two Australian Defense Force vehicles that left 13 people injured on Saturday.