Another person has died in floodwaters in Queensland taking the death toll to seven, as the state braces for more heavy rain as a week-long flood crisis continues to impact thousands of residents in the state's southeast.
The 59-year-old Carseldine man died at Fitzgibbon, a suburb north of Brisbane, on Sunday afternoon, Queensland Police said on Monday.
He was trying to cross Cabbage Tree Creek on foot when he was swept away.
Two witnesses raised the alarm and went to his aid but despite their best efforts and those of attending paramedics he died at the scene.
Almost a thousand schools will be closed in 13 local government areas on Monday, and residents are being warned to avoid all non-essential travel.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey says there will be significant road closures and limited public transport options across the region.
"We've had to close parts of the Gateway Motorway, Ipswich Motorway, Bruce Highway, and dozens of major roads across southeast Queensland," Mr Bailey said in a statement on Sunday night.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at the Kedron Emergency Services complex in Brisbane, Queensland. With the death toll from floods in Queensland and NSW rising to six, severe weather warnings remain in place across 900km of the eastern seaboard. Source: AAP / JASON O’BRIEN/AAPIMAGE
"This is a serious natural ... flooding event that we are seeing impact right throughout everywhere from Bundaberg to the border," Mr Morrison said in Brisbane on Sunday.
"All the way out to Toowoomba and particularly in places like Gympie, this is a very serious situation."
Flooded scenes at Rocklea on Brisbane's Southside , Queensland, Sunday, 27 February, 2022. Source: AAP / JASON O’BRIEN/AAPIMAGE
More than 1400 homes along the Brisbane River are expected to be inundated, with more heavy rain forecast for the city stoking fears its swollen river could rise even further.
Brisbane City Council issued a warning to ask residents in high-risk zones along the river to consider evacuating, including in Brisbane City, Newstead, West End, New Farm, Milton, St Lucia, Bulimba, South Brisbane, Toowong and Rocklea.
'Extraordinary weather event'
Flooding was widespread on Sunday, impacting Gympie, Maryborough, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and Brisbane, while major flood warnings were in place for the Mary River, Mooloolah, Noosa and Maroochy rivers, Upper Brisbane and Stanley rivers, Laidley, Lockyer and Warrill creeks, as well as the Bremer and Logan rivers.
Amid the crisis, water was being released from Brisbane's Wivenhoe Dam, which was over capacity. The Moogerah Dam, inland from the Gold Coast, was also spilling, as was the Atkinson Dam.
Gold Coast residents from Tallebudgera to Currumbin have been issued a 'watch and act' warning of "intense" rainfall and flood risk.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged Queenslanders to stay indoors, warning of life-threatening flash flooding, landslides and debris on roads from the weather.
"This is an extraordinary weather event and it should be treated very seriously," Ms Palaszczuk said on Sunday.
“We never expected this rain. This rain bomb is just really, you know, it’s unrelenting”
Man missing in NSW floods
NSW Police will on Monday continue searching for a man believed to be missing after officers in Lismore head him calling out for help in floodwaters near Brewster and Uralba streets about 4pm on Sunday.
"Police lost sight of the man a short time later," NSW Police said in statement.
"Police Rescue entered the water and searched the area; however, the man has not been located."
The latest incident comes amid 11 flood warnings in northern NSW.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said an evacuation alert was in place for residents along the Clarence River near Maclean.
SES volunteers had affected 70 flood rescues since torrential rain began falling on Tuesday, the premier told reporters on Sunday morning.
"We know that whilst there might be blue skies in certain parts of NSW, that does not mean that there will not be significant flooding events that occur over the course of this week," he said.
"So please, please, do not be complacent."
The northern rivers and mid north coast regions were expected to see "widespread, high rainfall totals" exceeding 150mm on Sunday.
NSW Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said there were 550 SES volunteers in the field and strong back-up plans in place.
"The SES is well supported by our other emergency services, organisations, including the RFS, where we have pre-positioned aircraft up on the far north coast," she said.
"They're able to respond to any incidents that arise up there. We also have fire and rescue, with both teams and appliances in the north of the state, again ready to respond the risk of flash flooding, heavy rainfall."
A flooded street at Hastings Point, NSW Source: AAP / Jason O'Brien/AAP
"We won't start to see the rainfall ease until tomorrow (Monday)," she said.
"What this means for communities is that there is very serious and life-threatening flash flooding and riverine flooding likely.
"We have a number of flood warnings current from minor, moderate and up to major flooding."
There five catchments affected are the Tweed, Wilsons, Richmond, Clarence and Arara rivers.
The communities of Tombolgin, Lismore, Grafton, Coots Crossing, Kyogle and Coraki have major flood warnings forecast from Sunday or for Monday.
Ms Schofield said it was possible the system could reach southern NSW by Wednesday.
One NSW life has already been claimed, with a man killed when his LandCruiser was carried away by local floodwaters on the Central Coast, north of Sydney, on Friday.
Meanwhile, communities affected by severe storms and floods across NSW in February and March last year will receive an additional $200 million in a jointly funded commonwealth-state support package.
Federal Emergency Management Minister Brigit McKenzie says the money will go to infrastructure recovery programs and community mental health initiatives.
