Flooding continues across large parts of north and north-west Queensland after days of monsoonal rain, with emergency services urging people to stay away from floodwater and check official warnings before travelling. The Bureau of Meteorology says the north-west system is weakening and moving south, while the coastal system is expected to shift offshore early next week. ABC News

Key stats

• Fatality: A man in his 70s was found dead in a submerged vehicle at Normanton earlier this week.
• Rainfall: Townsville and surrounds recorded more than 200mm in 24 hours during the latest heavy burst.
• Roads: Authorities reported more than 140 roads closed across Queensland due to flooding.
• Airport: Flooding has damaged the runway at Cloncurry Airport, disrupting regional access.
• Rivers: Floodwaters along the Flinders River are expected to linger for weeks as water drains through floodplains.
• Support: Governments have announced a A$2m emergency fodder support package to help graziers feed livestock in affected areas.

On the ground, police and rescue crews have responded to repeated incidents involving vehicles in floodwater. In one outback rescue, a father and daughter from Victoria escaped through a car window as floodwater swept their vehicle away, then walked 13km before being located and helped by authorities after using mapping on their phone to work out a route. ABC report

The flooding has also left travellers and smaller communities stuck behind closed roads. ABC reporting described dozens of travellers stranded in cut-off towns as key highways and outback roads turned into creek-like channels, with some places struggling to find accommodation as more motorists arrive and wait for water to drop. ABC North West Qld

In pastoral districts, the focus is turning to stock losses, fencing damage and getting feed into isolated properties. Graziers in the McKinlay area have warned some conditions echo the destructive 2019 floods, and officials say the full scale of livestock losses may take time to confirm because many stations remain difficult to access.

Emergency services continue to stress that floodwater is unpredictable and can hide washouts, debris and strong currents. For the latest warnings, maps and flood advice, use the Bureau of Meteorology’s Queensland updates: BoM severe weather update.

With major rivers still running high and more showers possible in parts of the tropical coast, authorities say the next risk period will depend on where heavier cells set up — because even “isolated” rain can quickly lift already-flooded catchments.