Queensland flood warnings remain in place as heavy rain lashes Wide Bay and Central Highlands
Heavy rains across an already soaked state have prompted multiple flood warnings ahead of easing conditions as a low moves offshore.
Multiple flood warnings remain in place across a drenched state following heavy to intense rainfalls, but a low bringing the big wet is forecast to contract and head offshore.
A widespread heavy rain event continued for central Queensland and the Wide Bay and Burnett regions on Monday.
A flood emergency warning was issued by the North Burnett Regional Council, saying Gayndah may exceed major flood levels of 15 metres overnight.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.It urged Gayndah residents in affected areas to consider leaving immediately to seek shelter, with an evacuation centre opened at Gayndah Community Hall.
Emergency warnings were issued earlier on Monday for three Central Highlands communities, urging residents to seek higher ground to avoid dangerous flooding.
Multiple flood rescues overnight on Sunday prompted a warning to motorists from Premier David Crisafulli to avoid driving into floodwaters and risking the lives of themselves and rescuers.
The Bureau of Meteorology said catchments across Queensland were wet to saturated from recent rainfall and would respond quickly to further heavy rainfall.
Multiple minor to major flood warnings are in place across the state.
A low-pressure system east of Biloela was forecast to move eastwards before crossing the coast on Monday evening.
A trough extends through the Wide Bay and Burnett regions and heavy to locally intense rainfall and damaging winds were possible in the vicinity of the low through southeastern districts until late on Monday.
The rain was likely to contract offshore by Tuesday morning, with only seasonal coastal showers remaining as conditions eased below warning thresholds.
Emergency warnings for people to seek higher ground were issued by the Central Highlands Regional Council on Monday for Sapphire at Retreat Creek and Rubyvale at Policemans Creek.
Isaac Regional Council issued a similar warning for people in the Theresa Creek Dam catchment area to take shelter as the dam was spilling and causing moderate flooding.
In the Northern Territory, residents in Katherine are assessing damage after their river topped major flood levels and swamped homes.
Hundreds of residents from the inundated remote communities of Daly River, Palumpa, Beswick and Jilkminggan were evacuated over the weekend, most in a major airlift by helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
In Katherine, about 600 properties remained without power on Monday and the NT Health Department issued a warning to residents to boil water because of the risk of contamination.
