Over 16,000 livestock have been reported as lost or missing as northern Queensland braces for additional rainfall, with river levels continuing to swell.

Townsville bore the brunt of the heavy rain overnight, recording over 200mm within a 24-hour period by 9 am. This follows the system’s advance across the state’s northeast coast, having already unleashed more than a meter of rain in certain northwestern areas in recent days.

Two individuals narrowly avoided disaster when their vehicle was swept away by fast-moving floodwaters at Cape York Peninsula, while rescue teams airlifted a man from his motorhome near Dimbulah, west of Cairns.

“Even in regions where the rain may begin to subside, river flooding will persist,” she noted.

“Currently, we are witnessing significant flooding on the Flinders River at Richmond and Walker’s Bend, as well as on the Western River at Winton.”

“Further rises could occur with the influx of upstream flows,” she added.

Flood warnings are currently in place for the Georgina, Norman, Gilbert, Nicholson, Leichhardt, Herbert, Western, Diamantina, Tully, Burdekin, Cape, Flinders, Cloncurry and Bohle rivers as well as Eyre Creek.

A tropical low is also tipped to form off the coastline from tomorrow.

Premier David Crisafulli announced disaster relief for the affected areas last week.