Traffic struggles to make it through flooding in Brisbane. Picture: Marc Robertson

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Katarina Carroll warned of “horrendous” conditions ahead, with significant flooding in some parts of the city, including East Brisbane, Moorooka and Greenslopes.

Ms Carroll warned people to stay away from flood waters as the weather worsens throughout the afternoon and evening.

Rigby Wilshire wades through flood waters to get to his home in East Brisbane. Picture: Darren England.Source:News Corp Australia

“We will respond for as long as we can, but there will become a point later tonight where we mightn’t be able to.”

She said there had been 400 calls for help to the SES from the Brisbane area alone.

“There will be strong winds this afternoon, 95-100km/h winds, so it’s a combination of that wind and the rain, but they will spiral those SES tasks.”

Power outages are also starting to occur across the southeast, with about 2,000 customers losing supply.

Emergency crews have had to save people from cars trapped in floodwaters in Brisbane and on the Gold and Sunshine coasts.

On the Sunshine Coast, crews worked to save a mother and their four children, whose home has been swamped by fast-rising floodwaters at Tanawha.

It took swiftwater rescue crews 20 minutes to reach the family.

DISASTER DÉJÀ VU STRIKES

In the devastation of the 2011 floods, it was inner-city locations like East Brisbane, Woolloongabba, Rosalie and Windsor that were among the worst affected.

Once again, locals there face a tense wait as water levels rise rapidly — and the worst is yet to come.

Similarly, other flood-prone pockets like Kedron, Greenslopes, Moorooka, Durack, Toombul, Annerley and Rocklea are experiencing inundations.

Oxley residents make their way into their flooded home. Picture: Marc RobertsonSource:News Corp Australia

Worried residents have shared photos and videos of parks underwater, cars submerged and water lapping at the doors of homes and businesses.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the risk of flash flooding came mostly from creek areas, but that didn’t stop others trying to secure sandbags.

AUSSIE BATTLER LOSES FIGHT

Debbie the bush cockatoo, saved in cyclone-devastated forest at Airlie Beach on Tuesday by Townsville Bulletin photographer Alix Sweeney, has died.

The iconic cocky, whose story made worldwide headlines, was found lifeless in her box this morning.

She has been buried in the same forest where she was found with two other cockatoos and a peewee that perished there during Category 4 Cyclone Debbie on Tuesday.

Debbie the cockatoo has tragically passed away. Picture: Alix SweeneySource:News Corp Australia

SOUTH EAST ‘SHUT DOWN’

Gold Coast Airport confirmed just before midday AEDT that Virgin Australia and Tigerair were cancelling services as the wet weather intensifies.

It comes after all schools from Agnes Water to the NSW border were closed, including Catholic and independent schools.

Schools are also scheduled to remain closed on Friday until further notice by authorities.

Demonstrating the extent of the situation, 40 local councils from across Queensland were part of a dawn Disaster Management Committee meeting to discuss the weather response.

Speaking from Townsville after visiting Bowen and Proserpine early on Thursday, Queensland’s premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said almost all of those local government areas are currently drought declared.

“(They) have been desperate for rain — they deserve the rain without this pain,” she said.

Schoolchildren are seen leaving school on the Gold Coast on Thursday. Picture: AAPSource:AAP

A children's swing sits in flooded waters at a playground on the Gold Coast. Picture: AAPSource:AAP

As the bad weather moved south, Deputy Premier Jackie Trad warned peak hour would be a “nightmare”.

“So if employees can be staggered in terms of being released from work to go home, that would be the best thing possible in terms of ensuring that our road network is not clogged up,” she said.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Matthew Bass said the heavy rainfall was likely to clear Brisbane around midnight and that the system was likely to clear the Queensland coast early tomorrow.

The Premier returned from the northern cyclone strike zone to Brisbane midmorning for emergency meetings about the southeast weather crisis.

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart called on businesses to consider closing early and allowing staff to go home early to avoid congestion later in the afternoon.

“I would reiterate to business owners, particularly in the southeast corner, you really need to think about your employees and perhaps releasing them early.”

In the wake of the 2011 flood disaster in southeast Queensland, questions were raised about the management of dams. Commissioner Stewart moved to ease concerns, saying the current situation was “fortunate”.

“It’s been so dry in recent months that a lot of the dams, particularly south of Rockhampton, have got plenty of capacity so we’re not actually worried about that.”

SYDNEY BRACES FOR WEATHER

After battering north Queensland, residents in NSW are set to cop a lashing from what remains of Debbie.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting heavy rain and flash flooding in NSW’s northeast and damaging coastal winds north of Sydney on Thursday and Friday.

That’s because a low-pressure system over central-eastern Queensland and a high-pressure system over the Tasman Sea are dragging a humid tropical air mass over NSW, which is expected to meet a cold front approaching from the southwest. Residents in Lismore, Grafton, Coffs Harbour Glen Innes and Inverell will feel the brunt of the heavy rain while Sydney, Gosford, Newcastle and Port Macquarie will be hit by damaging winds.

The remnants of Cyclone Debbie are about to hit Sydney. Picture: BoMSource:Supplied

Sydneysiders can expect showers to start on Thursday afternoon and continue into the evening with a maximum of 45 millimetres expected.

The Northern Rivers region can expect 100mm over a 24-hour period. “It is likely that some locations will exceed more than 200mm,” the bureau said on Wednesday.

FLIGHTS CANCELLED

Virgin Australia has cancelled domestic flights at Queensland’s Gold Coast and Proserpine airports, while no Qantas flights will operate to or from Gladstone.

However, Qantas has resumed some Hamilton Island flights to help evacuate hundreds of tourists stranded as a result of cyclone Debbie. A spokesman said the remainder of its flights across Queensland were operating as usual.

Virgin Australia said there would be no flights in or out of Proserpine, near the cyclone-ravaged Airlie Beach, on Thursday or Friday.

All its domestic Gold Coast flights scheduled to arrive or depart this afternoon were also cancelled. The airline is meanwhile working with authorities to confirm whether it is safe to fly in and out of Hamilton Island.

“Due to the extensive damage to infrastructure on the island, Virgin Australia will not bring any more guests into Hamilton Island for the next two days, up until and including Saturday 1 April,” the airline said in a statement.

“An update on inbound services to Hamilton Island from Sunday 2 April onwards will be provided following further assessment.” Virgin said its flights to and from Ballina, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, Port Macquarie in NSW may also be affected by wet weather today.

Passengers booked on Virgin flights to or from Brisbane, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Sunshine Coast and Rockhampton in Queensland could also be delayed by the wet weather.

Comment was being sought from Jetstar.

TURNBULL, SHORTEN VISIT QLD

Prime Minister Turnbull and Opposition leader Bill Shorten flew to Queensland this morning.

Speaking from Bowen, Mr Turnbull praised the recovery efforts of local emergency services and Australian Defence Force personnel.

The Prime Minister said more than 1300 ADF personnel were assisting local crews, and two ships were supporting efforts.

HMAS Melville would be at Daydream Island today, while HMAS Choules was on its way.

“All of the national disaster recovery assistance is available,” Mr Turnbull said.

“There is assistance available right now for immediate needs. We will be providing support for the reconstruction of local infrastructure.

The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the Opposition Leader Bill Shorten toured cyclone damaged areas of Bowen in north Queensland. Picture: Gary RamageSource:News Corp Australia

“I’ve made an announcement today which will mean the council can get to work straightaway, bringing on labour using their own assets and they will get the benefit of the federally supported funding.

“The formula will be 75 per cent, with a natural disaster of this scale, 75 per cent federal, 25 per cent State, but we’re making sure that those funds are going to flow, and the council in particular can access it straight away.”

Malcolm Turnbull sweeps water during his tour of north Queensland. Picture: Gary RamageSource:News Corp Australia

UNIVERSITIES CLOSE CAMPUSES

The University of Queensland has closed all three of its campuses in the southeast, advising students and staff to stay home today.

“If you have already made your way to any of UQ’s campuses, please return home if it’s safe to do so,” Vice-Chancellor Peter Hoj said.

Other institutions, including Griffith University and the Queensland University of Technology, closed campuses from midday.

The government told all non-essential public servants in the southeast region to go home.

In a bid to ease expected congestion throughout the day, Ms Trad announced public transport would be free.

“We are confident our public transport system will operate normally throughout the rest of the day,” she said.

Gold Coast theme parks Movie World, Dreamworld and Wet N Wild have closed, as has Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art and Queensland Museum.

Meanwhile, two cruise ships set to sail along the state’s north coast were diverted, impacting thousands of passengers.

P&O Pacific Dawn was due to visit Airlie Back on Thursday but its 1500-odd guests are instead on a “cruise to nowhere”, after the ship was moved on due to unstable weather.

And the ship Azamara Journey, carrying 600 passengers, changed course from Hamilton Island in the wake of Cyclone Debbie, visiting Mooloolaba instead.

All beaches on a 600km-stretch of coast between Agnes Water and the NSW border have been closed.

Beaches between Mackay and Townsville also remain closed.

THOUSANDS STRANDED

Around 3,000 people remain stranded in the Whitsunday Islands with limited food and water in the wake of Cyclone Debbie.

Roads to the towns of Bowen, Airlie Beach and Proserpine were inaccessible, with more than 60,000 homes without power and communications down in many areas. But no deaths were reported and only one significant injury — a man crushed by a collapsing wall.

The Courier Mail reports disaster teams and dam ­operators are on high alert, swiftwater rescue reinforcements are arriving from interstate and sandbags are ready as the sodden southeast Queensland faces another drenching in the wake of Debbie.

A car stuck in floodwaters at Airlie Beach. Picture: Alix SweeneySource:News Corp Australia

MAJOR FLOODING

The Bruce Highway is cut off both north and south of Mackay and residents living downstream from the Kinchant Dam have been urged to self-evacuate or move to higher ground.

The Proserpine River spilt over during Cyclone Debbie, all but swallowing road traffic signs and a railway crossing.

Major flood warnings have since been issued for the Connors, Isaac and Pioneer rivers, while lesser warnings applied to Theresa Creek, as well as the Don, Proserpine, Kolan and lower Burdekin rivers.

Palm St Resident Cathy Seiver, her dogs and elderly mother are assisted out of her street by QFES Swift water Rescue team members in Mackay. Picture: AAPSource:AAP

RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter landing at the Mackay Base Hospital with patients from Hamilton Island. Picture: Tony MartinSource:News Corp Australia

There had been “phenomenal” rainfall totals over the past few days, with the Pioneer Basin getting more than 1000mm in just 48 hours, the Bureau of Meteorology’s hydrology manager Victoria Dodds said.

Proserpine appears to have been the worst affected area, with major damage to a lot of homes.

About 4000 people were stranded on Hamilton Island, but the island’s airport reopened late on Wednesday. Parts of Mackay have been evacuated as rising water levels threaten homes.

Contact is yet to be made with Hayman Island.

A car crossing a flooded section of the Bruce Highway.Source:News Corp Australia

RUNNING OUT OF WATER

Whitsunday Islands, Hamilton Island and Daydream Island, which bore the brunt of Cyclone Debbie, are running out of supplies as the aftermath of the massive storm continues to hit hard.

About 200 holiday-makers and staff on Daydream Island, which suffered significant structural damage, are running low on water.

“Daydream Island has requested the military,” Whitsunday Mayor Andrew Wilcox said.

“They are running out of drinking water. They will be transferred by air.”

Mackay Regional Council said it was down to a 24 hour water supply.

Cyclone Debbie’s aftermath at Hamilton Island. Picture: Paul FerranteSource:Supplied

More damage at Hamilton Island. Photos: Paul FerranteSource:Supplied

The full extent of the damage is becoming clearer. Picture: Alix Sweeney.Source:News Corp Australia

DISASTER AID ANNOUNCED

The federal and state governments have announced disaster aid for north Queensland following the devastation of tropical cyclone Debbie.

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Queensland Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan said the assistance was being provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).

Vehicles and equipment loaded on-board HMAS Choules in Brisbane ahead of relief efforts. Picture: AFP/Australian Department of DefenceSource:AFP

The assistance affects eight local government areas and will include concessional rates for businesses and grants and freight subsidies for primary producers.

Queensland Rural Economic Development Minister Bill Byrne said category B assistance has also been activated based on initial damage reports, which includes concessional loans of up to $250,000 and essential working capital loans of up to $100,000.

He said sugar cane field in Proserpine, Mackay and Sarina had been flattened and producers in the Whitsunday Regional Council area will suffer heavy winter crop losses thanks to Debbie.

The beef cattle industry has also been hit.

“At this preliminary stage, the most significant agricultural impacts are damage to horticulture crops, sugar cane fields, irrigation equipment and cane train infrastructure,” he said.

Originally published as ‘Horrendous’ rain hammers states