Queensland Fire and Emergency volunteers preparing for flooding as torrential rain continues to fall in Southern Queensland. Photo / QFES
Queensland's premier has forecast horror flooding will remain for at least another five days.
Annastacia Palaszczuk made the grim admission on Sunday morning, as the death toll rose to six people.
"We have done some releases from (Wivenhoe) dam. Now, that does take about 24 hours to come down so that is not impacting (the waterways) at the moment," she said.
"With the rain easing, hopefully, over the next 24 hours, we then do expect to see high levels of water in our river system for at least the next three to five days."
Thunderstorms have been forecast to hit southeast Queensland on Sunday afternoon. During the past 24-hours, the SES has received more than 5,000 requests for help.
Premier Palaszczuk also urged some communities to conserve water.
"We have some issues with the Mount Crosby treatment system. Can I ask people in the southeast to conserve water at the moment," she said.
"Please conserve your drinking water."
Just witnessed an incredible rescue of a man stuck under a pontoon at the Howard Smith Wharves ferry stop. Incredible bravery from everyone involved. #Brisbane #BNEfloods pic.twitter.com/XR1M43WqPM
— Matthew Toomey (@ToomeyMatt) February 26, 2022
Not as bad as 2011
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinneradrian said it is not yet as bad as the 2011 floods.
"What we're seeing unfolding in Brisbane at the moment is a combination of creep flooding, river flooding and overland flow all happening at once. Is a different situation to what we have seen in 2011 and that is exactly why people need to stay safe," he said.
"At the Brisbane gauge of the river monitoring levels, we're seeing that there was a peak this morning of around 3.1 metres. In 2011, that peak at the same location was 4.46m.
"This has been defined as a moderate flood event but it's still causing damage in many parts of Brisbane and that is exactly why people must stay at home."
Evacuations underway in Queensland
People have been evacuated from their homes due to rising floodwaters.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency spokesman told The Courier Mail there had been seven rescues conducted across Monkland and Gympie.
Two rescue crews were called to the home at 9.50pm on Saturday night with reports of one person trapped inside the home, which had water "quickly rising up to the windows".
Crews had to force their way into the home where they found a woman inside.
A boat and a pontoon drifting down the Brisbane River past West End. @abcnews pic.twitter.com/8AzcfmHen7
— Michael Rennie (@mf_rennie) February 27, 2022
Premier warns of rain bomb
Premier Palaszczuk has described the amount of deluge as a 'rain bomb'.
"There is a rain bomb that's just sitting over the entire southeast and as I said yesterday, we are used to and South East Queensland experiencing a bit of rain over a certain catchment, this is happening right across the south-east and its constant and as I said the other day, we thought it would ease up," she said.
"It hasn't eased up."
Further severe weather warnings have been issued for Queensland as cities and suburbs battle rising floodwaters.
In a statement issued Sunday morning, the Bureau of Meteorology told residents to brace for more severe thunderstorms.
"Heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding is forecast to continue over parts of southeast Queensland today," it said.
"Six-hourly rainfall totals between 60 and 120mm are likely to continue, reaching up to 150mm over areas southeast of Caloundra to Warwick and contracting south to the NSW border today.
"Heavy rainfall increases the potential for landslides and debris across roads. Damaging wind gusts in excess of 90 km/h are possible over coastal fringes mainly south of Caloundra and about the elevated terrain of the Gold Coast hinterland."
Emergency services said they will resume the search for a yachtsman, aged in his 70s, who went missing on Saturday.
The search had to be suspended overnight.
On average the SES is receiving 100 calls for assistance each hour across Queensland.
It comes as thousands of homes in Brisbane are at risk of being destroyed as floodwaters continue to rise.
Suburbs at risk of flooding
Almost 100 suburbs across the city face further flood threats on Sunday.
A potentially catastrophic combination of an early high tide and millions of megalitres of rain hurtling down creeks and rivers has put homes at risk.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said this could be the worst flooding in more than a decade.
⚠️Dangerous and life-threatening #floods continue for south-east #Qld Radar shows heavy rain continuing over the region.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 26, 2022
Severe weather warnings & severe thunderstorm warnings current. Multiple river systems in major flood.
Latest forecast and warnings: https://t.co/Roa4mfgthN pic.twitter.com/aXPD05A8f1
"For many Brisbane residents, this terrible rain event will be reviving memories of the 2011 floods," he told The Courier Mail.
"Our latest modelling shows flows from the catchments and the potential for further Wivenhoe Dam releases into the Brisbane River may combine with tomorrow morning's high tide (and) this could impact thousands of residential properties.
The high tide is expected around 7.30am on Sunday at the mouth of the Brisbane River. Council modelling has shown a threat of flooding more than 87 locales from Brisbane's north towards Ipswich in the east and Logan in the south.
More than 20,000 properties are without power, the majority of which are in the Brisbane (4852), Gympie (5790) and Moreton Bay (4796) regions.
The city's Wivenhoe Dam has started releasing water again – despite this putting more homes at risk of flooding.
Brisbane city, Bulimba, Hamilton, Milton, New Farm, Newstead, Norman Park, Oxley, Rocklea, South Brisbane, St Lucia, Teneriffe, Toowong, West and, Windsor and Yeronga are most at risk of being affected.
The Courier-Mail reported a car was found in floodwaters in Indoorapilly around 2.45am on Sunday, before a 34-year-old man's body was found in a nearby suburb.
Reports suggest the man tried to swim from his vehicle on Witton Road but did not surface.
During the deluge, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has urged residents to stay up to date with the latest by checking information from the Bureau of Meteorology.
On Saturday afternoon, the bureau confirmed the huge amounts of rain smashing the state.
"A dangerous and unfolding weather and flood event for southeast Queensland and northeast NSW – four-day rainfall of 1,360mm for Pomona and 709mm overnight at Mt Glorious," it said in a statement.