Oh, and there’s more rain coming, according to AAP:
Wild weather is set to continue to pummel parts of southeast Queensland and northern NSW for several days, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
The BOM on Sunday warned that wild weather affecting northern NSW was building up, with heavy rain, damaging winds, potentially serious flooding and dangerous surf conditions expected.
It said heavy rainfall over Leycester Creek and Wilsons River from Friday to Sunday had caused significant rises in river levels.
Minor flooding was expected at Lismore on Sunday night, with further rises to the moderate flood level possible late on Monday and into Tuesday.
Heavy rainfall was expected to become severe again over parts of the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers from Sunday night into Monday morning.
“Rainfall rates could be locally enhanced with thunderstorms, leading to the possibility of very heavy rainfall and dangerous flash flooding,” the BOM said.
“At this stage, the widespread heavy rainfall is expected to ease late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
“Thunderstorms may still produce localised heavy falls that may lead to flash flooding during Wednesday.”
The BOM also warned damaging winds averaging 60-70km/h were likely along NSW’s coastal fringe from Yamba to as far south as Crescent Head on Monday.
Waves possibly exceeding five metres in the surf zone could also be expected from Yamba to Port Macquarie.
This comes after four people were rescued from floodwaters in NSW on Saturday night and about 20 caravaners were moved to higher ground.
Emergency services received more than 1200 calls for assistance for roof damage and leaks, inundation and fallen trees.
Communities in flood-prone areas spent Sunday sandbagging low-lying areas and preparing properties.
Meanwhile, a surface trough was expected to deepen off the southeast Queensland coast on either Sunday night or Monday morning, the BOM said.
A low pressure system is likely to form along this trough and approach the southeast Queensland coast.
The BOM said damaging winds, heavy rainfall, abnormally high tides and damaging surf could be expected in the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Moreton Island, North Stradbroke Island, Sunshine Coast, Fraser Island, Caboolture, Cleveland, Redcliffe, Jimboomba, Beaudesert and Springbrook.
It also issued a minor flood warning for the Logan and Albert rivers.
“The rains are here and they are coming significantly and in a heavy severe way … similar to a category one cyclone event,” Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan told reporters on Sunday.
All Gold Coast beaches were closed on Sunday, along with the majority of Sunshine Coast beaches.
Meanwhile, a flood warning is in place for Western Australia’s De Grey River catchment after a tropical low dumped heavy rain from the Pilbara to the border with South Australia.
The system crossed the coast near Port Hedland on Friday and it started bucketing down as the weather system moved southeast towards the Goldfields.
A flood warning was issued on Sunday night for residents in the Fortescue River catchment.
Warnings were also issued for the Sandy Desert, Warburton District and Salt Lakes District rivers.
