A tropical cyclone has formed off Australia's western coast, as eastern states deal with the fallout from damaging storms and continuing rain.
Tropical Cyclone Sean was declared on Sunday north of the Pilbara Coast in Western Australia, with the category one storm expected to strengthen, but remain off the coast.
The cyclone has halted iron ore exports across much of the Pilbara, where about 43 per cent of the global iron ore trade and 7.5 per cent of the global LNG trade is sent from.
A storm tide is expected between Port Hedland and Exmouth as the cyclone progresses.
A cyclone emergency warning was issued for Barrow Island on Sunday afternoon, with residents warned there was a risk to life and property.
People were told to shelter indoors and stay in the strongest, safest part of the building.
A cyclone "watch and act" alert was issued from Mardie to Ningaloo, not including Mardie with destructive winds expected on Sunday afternoon and evening.
In Queensland, heavy overnight rain in the state's southeast caused swollen dams to spill, sparking flood warnings.
Cooloolabin Dam on the Sunshine Coast, Little Nerang Dam on the Gold Coast, Leslie Harrison Dam east of Brisbane and Maroon Dam in the Scenic Rim all increased outflows following the rain.
"If you are downstream of the dam, please avoid potential hazards such as fast-flowing or deep water near waterways and floodplains," Seqwater warned.
Emergency services conducted several flood rescues around northern NSW as heavy falls continued before the trough responsible moved off the NSW coast.
Minor flood warnings remain on the Tweed, Bellinger, Orara, Hastings, Manning, Paterson and Williams Rivers.
Searchers were looking for a 53-year-old man after a car was swept off a causeway at Limpinwood near the border with Queensland about 9.30pm on Saturday, and was later found empty.
NSW Detective Inspector Matthew Woods said conditions in the area were "absolutely horrendous".
"The storm cell that passed last night was so significant and it just dropped so much water in one place and unfortunately it was just a combination of things," he told reporters on Sunday.
Elsewhere two people were trapped in a vehicle as floodwaters rose, while two others requested evacuation when they became isolated, and 10 cows were rescued after entering floodwaters at Bulahdelah on the state's mid north coast.
In NSW, local MPs called for expanded disaster relief following the powerful storms which left thousands of residents without electricity.
More than 15,500 customers remained without power about 2pm on Sunday as crews continued working to restore connections.
The SES has received almost 8300 calls across four days, the majority for fallen trees after heavy winds.
Severely affected areas of Maitland, Port Stephens and Snowy Valleys have been offered federal and state government support.
But some in other regions were wondering why they were left out.
Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell said large swathes of his electorate had gone days without power.
"They need to be able to access essential supplies and start to repair what has been damaged," the Nationals representative said.
Wagga Wagga independent MP Joe McGirr told AAP he had been informed the government was waiting for an assessment form, but said there was no question support should be extended.
Premier Chris Minns dismissed suggestions non-government seats were being excluded from support.
"There's no evidence that my government has ever pulled a stunt like that ... if they've got a township, community ... that needs help, my phone is always on," Mr Minns said.
