At least one person died and four remain missing after Tropical Cyclone Alfred battered Australia’s east coast. But its coastal erosion, not human casualties, that have got the country talking. The Gold Coast is known for its smooth,

Eighty per cent of the tourist strip's famous beaches have been carved away by Tropical Cyclone Alfred but the mayor says they will be back to their best for the Easter holidays.

For many people, the most visible impact of Cyclone Alfred was the damage big waves and storm surge did to their local beaches.