A woman has died in flood waters in north Queensland after her ute was washed away, with widespread rain across the state expected to continue.
Emergency services received reports at around 5am on Wednesday that a dual-cab ute carrying three people had been swept into flood waters at Mount Ossa, north of Mackay.
Two passengers, a 50-year-old Mount Charlton man and a 30-year-old Mount Pelion woman, managed to escape the vehicle.
Following a frantic search, an emergency crew recovered the body of the driver – a 31-year-old Calen woman – in the vehicle at 8am on Wednesday morning.
The 50-year-old man suffered a laceration to his head and both passengers were transported in a stable condition to Mackay Base hospital.
The premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, later confirmed the woman’s death while speaking in parliament.
“I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and I sincerely hope that this is the last tragedy,” Palaszczuk said.
She said the incident was “a stark reminder” of the dangers of extreme weather events like the one unfolding in the state’s north this week.
Heavy rainfall continues to batter northern Queensland, with almost 300 roads cut and flood warnings in place for numerous rivers and creeks.
The SES has responded to more than 110 requests for assistance.
A severe weather warning for areas south of Townsville was cancelled on Wednesday but a major flood warning remains in place for the Haughton River.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast thunderstorms, damaging winds and intense rainfall for parts of central and eastern Queensland on Thursday.
Moderate and minor flood warnings are also current for parts of western Queensland.
Heavy rainfall is continuing in southern Queensland, with further warnings expected in the coming hours.
The highest levels of rainfall in the past 24 hours was in Mourilyan Mill, on the Cassowary Coast, which recorded 244mm.
On Tuesday, rainfall records tumbled at the Hughenden, Richmond and Cloncurry airports as those inland regions recorded their highest-ever May totals.
Townsville experienced flash flooding with police officers temporarily stranded in Kirwan on Tuesday night as waters rose around the station.
In the southeast, heavy rain hit the Sunshine Coast and northern Brisbane, with 135mm falling at Mapleton and 113mm at Maleny.
Energex said 1,471 customers were without power on Wednesday in the Brisbane city area.
Seqwater has alerted Moreton Bay region residents it has started flood releases from North Pine Dam, with releases also set to start from Wivenhoe and Somerset Dams into the Brisbane River from 10am.
Australian Associated Press contributed to this report
