Swathes of Australia’s east coast continue to be lashed by south-moving wild weather.
Already dealing with the aftermath of a week-long battering of storms and heavy rain, Queensland’s southeast faces the prospect of yet more severe conditions on Wednesday.
Australian Defence Force troops have been deployed across the state to help with recovery efforts while authorities continue work to restore power to about 11,000 homes.
Hundreds of flood-damaged Queensland roads also remain closed and continuing heavy rain means an increased potential for landslides and fallen debris.
Dozens of people have been rescued from flood waters since the big wet began over Christmas.
Although the Bureau of Meteorology says the worst of the wild weather has moved on, heavy to intense rain is likely across most of Queensland on Wednesday, while conditions will remain hazardous long after falls ease.
Storms and flooding in northern NSW have also kept emergency services working overtime.
A cluster of localities received more than a month’s worth of rain in the 48 hours to Tuesday evening, some centres in the Northern Rivers region copping falls of more than 500mm.
The SES said local crews had completed 28 rescues during the period.
However more falls are on the way.
“Moisture is moving south with the risk of severe storms increasing through parts of NSW and much of Victoria,” according to Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Miriam Bradbury.
Thunderstorms are headed for central Victoria on Wednesday before becoming widespread over the eastern half of the state.
The bureau says there’s the potential for heavy falls, large hail and damaging winds. Melbourne can expect showers and likely a thunderstorm, possibly a severe one.
Lightning stopped flights at the city’s airport on Tuesday evening and almost 50,000 homes and businesses across the state were left without power.
In Western Australia, a trough of low pressure and a very hot, unstable atmosphere is triggering severe thunderstorms in the interior.
Severe thunderstorms were predicted to deliver damaging winds above 90 km/h in the communities of Giles, Kiwirrkurra, Parnngurr and Warburton, west of Alice Springs.
