Lismore CBD is flooded after the Wilson River breached its banks early today. Photo/Dave Hunt/AAP
Lismore CBD is flooded after the Wilson River breached its banks early today. Photo/Dave Hunt/AAP
Towns are under water and people are missing as the remnants of Cyclone Debbie continue to smash southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales.
In NSW, where parts of the towns of Murwillumbah, Chinderah and Lismore have been rendered rivers, SES Deputy Commissioner Mark Morrow has braced locals for "distressing news", according to news.com.au.
There had been more than 200 request for assistance in northern NSW since flooding began, but some who called for help could not be reached.
"There could be people overnight that perished in that flood, we don't know at this stage," Morrow told ABC.
"We expect this morning that as we start to go out to find people that made those calls overnight, there could be some very distressing news."
NSW SES assistant commissioner Kaylene Jones said it was an "absolute" possibility there were more missing people emergency workers didn't know about.
"We've received requests from people who were in a position to do so, we're not aware at this time if there were other people who were unable to call for existence prior to being impacted by those floodwaters."
A high tide combined with the flood level's predicted peak at 1pm AEDT (3pm NZT) is expected to worsen the situation further.
On the Gold Coast, wild winds are on their way as the low pressure system that is ex-tropical cyclone Debbie strengthens and combined with a cold front out to sea, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
In Queensland where flood levels continue to rise, an unknown number people are awaiting rescue and at least one person is unaccounted for.
Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said a man in the Lamington National Park in the state's Scenic Rim region which has been subject to evacuation order, was considered missing.
A flooded store at South Murwillumbah last night. Photo/Instagram
"My understanding is he is a bushwalker and he remains unaccounted for," he said.
"You can just imagine what the conditions are like there ... it would be a very treacherous situation."
Major flooding is affecting areas of southeast Queensland and northern NSW, where some parts received up to 789mm of rain in the 24 hours to midnight.
Roads have been turned into rivers and rescues are under way as flood levels around Brisbane match those seen in the disastrous fatal deluge of 2011.
Some parts of southeast Queensland and northern NSW have seen their worst flooding since 1954.
NSW towns under water
A man's dramatic rescue from the flooded streets of Lismore has been captured on camera.
The man was saved from raging flood waters by emergency crews who were forced to abandon their boat and plunge into fast-moving, deep floodwaters to pull the man to safety.
The man was trapped against the fence of the city's United Church, unable to move as waters rages.
Thousands of residents in Lismore have been evacuated after floodwaters broke the northern NSW town's levee, with SES crews racing to finish rescue jobs amid fears people may have perished.
NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Mark Morrow says there were 150 flood rescues in the NSW area overnight, but the weather prevented the rescue helicopter being able to get to all locations.
"It's the first time it's been activated in 12 years," Lismore mayor Isaac Smith told AAP today.
Locals have reported the town is "practically underwater".
At Murwillumbah, also in the state's north, the Tweed River was expected to peak at 5.6m.
The Murwillumbah residents joined a further 40,000 in northern NSW who the SES told last night "you must leave NOW", including 6000 in Lismore affected by major flooding along the Wilsons River.
Those who were unable to escape sought refuse on rooftops and in ceiling cavities.
