Hundreds flee Qld floodwaters | QLD News | Breaking News in Queensland

HUNDREDS of people have fled rising floodwaters in Charleville and Roma after record-breaking rains hit parts of south-west Queensland still officially gripped by drought.

Disaster situations have been declared in the two towns, allowing evacuation orders to be enforced and releasing aid payments.

Up to two-thirds of all properties in Charleville are expected to be flooded as waters continue to rise in Bradley's Gully, which runs through the town.

Emergency services expected about 500 people would have to be evacuated from their homes by Tuesday evening.

About 100 families have been evacuated in Roma, with continuing concerns about rising river levels.

To Charleville's west, the opal town of Quilpie has received close to its yearly average rainfall in three days, the mayor said. Floods have also hit Roma, to the east of Charleville.

All three communities have been officially drought-declared for years - Charleville since 2003, Quilpie since 2002 and Roma since 2005.

There's also been heavy rain across Queensland's south-east corner, causing localised flooding in Brisbane and on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

The Bureau of Meteorology continues to warn of flooding in the south-west and of flooding and damaging winds in coastal communities from the Gold Coast north to Hervey Bay.

The deluge has been blamed on a monsoonal low that's dumped up to 165mm across the southwest. A second low sitting around Fraser Island has compounded the situation.

Several people had to be rescued on Tuesday after they ignored warnings not to cross flooded roads.

A woman and child were plucked to safety after their car flipped on its side in fast-flowing waters near the Warrego Highway near Charleville.

A woman was rescued from floodwaters in Roma. And emergency crews saved a 54-year-old man found clinging to a tree near Townsville after his car was inundated. No one has been seriously hurt.

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said a disaster situation had been declared in the Charleville district.

He said the declaration meant authorities could force people to evacuate.

Elderly patients have already been moved from the 45-bed Waroona nursing home to the Charleville Hospital but they may have to move again if floodwaters keep rising around the hospital.

Mark O'Brien, mayor of Murweh Shire which takes in Charleville, said the flood was the worst he'd seen.

"We were hoping that it wasn't going to be this high, but there's nothing you can do about the man that sends the rain," he said.

"We're weary. We hate it."

Quilpie mayor David Edwards said the town had received almost its average yearly rainfall of 300mm in the past three days.

"I was born here and have been here all my life, and this has been the best summer (for rain) since 1976," he said.

He said he expected a large part of Quilpie shire to remain isolated for at least a week.

Grazier Michael Treloar, from Boothulla Station between Charleville and Quilpie, said the headwaters of the Paroo River were the highest he'd seen in decades.

Roma is expected to see the peak of the flood on Tuesday night.

Bedourie and Birdsville, in Queensland's far southwest, have also been hit by flooding and could be isolated for weeks.

"Should we continue to be cut off, we will contact Emergency Management Queensland to help co-ordinate a food and medical drop," said Scott Mason, chief executive of Diamantina shire.

River levels across the Sunshine Coast are expected to start easing after up to 200mm of rain came down across the region in the past 24 hours.

One of the Sunshine Coast's biggest schools, Suncoast Christian College shut its doors because of heavy rainfall.

Bureau of Meteorology forecast

Damaging wind gusts to 90 km/hr are forecast for parts of the southern Channel Country, Maranoa and Warrego and Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts today.

Flood warnings remain current for the Bulloo River, Diamantina River, Georgina River and Eyre Creek, Lower Balonne River and Wallam and Mungallalla Creeks, Paroo River, Warrego River and Tributaries as well as Thomson and Barcoo Rivers and Cooper Creek.

Areas of heavy rain are expected to cause localised flash flooding in parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett and south-east Coast districts today. These conditions are expected to ease this evening.

Damaging wind gusts to 100 km/hr are also forecast for coastal and island communities between Cape Moreton and Sandy Cape today.

Got photos of recent flooding in your local area that you'd like share? Email them to editorial@finda.com.au.

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View Queensland weather warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology.

To keep up to date with the latest road closures across Queensland, visit www.131940.qld.gov.au.