Australian shopping center goes underwater when rain bomb hits: 'Find higher ground'

Emergency services are busy as rain continues to lash Queensland, with multiple calls for help in the state's south-east.

According to reliable information from social media, the main street of Laidley, a town of just under 4,000 inhabitants, is under water.

Councilor Chris Wilson of Lockyer Valley Regional Council has warned that the rest of Laidley could experience flooding if water levels continue to rise.

Mayor Tanya Milligan advised residents to anticipate flooding at local homes and businesses, with a particular emphasis on the vulnerability of those in Forest Hill.

The Morayfield Shopping Centre, in Brisbane's north, began flooding on Tuesday morning.

The center's lower parking lot was reportedly evacuated due to rising waters.

In Jandowae, a small rural town in the Western Downs with a population of just over 1,000, residents have been warned to move to higher ground.

Complicating matters further is that the town is currently cut off with no accessible roads due to the surrounding flooding

Swiftwater rescue firefighters rescued 13 people as flood waters rose over the Moreton Bay, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Darling Downs regions overnight.

Eight of those rescues took place in the Moreton Bay region alone.

Samford Valley was one of the worst hit areas in the region, with 300mm of rain in three hours.

The SES also responded to 28 calls for help in the Moreton Bay region.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have issued emergency warnings for Laidley and Forest Hill, west of Brisbane.

An evacuation center will open at Laidley State High School on Tuesday for people seeking shelter.

Flood warnings are current for large parts of central Queensland and the south east.

Flood warnings have been issued for parts of western Queensland, as well as much of the state's central and south-east plus north-east NSW.

The agency said forecast rainfall in those areas could lead to flash floods or river flooding in the next 48 hours.

“In the worst case scenario, this could lead to flooding of homes, properties, businesses and farmland,” the agency warned.

Former Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is also bringing wet weather to north-west Queensland, days after crossing the coast.

South of Cloncurry is one of the worst affected areas in the west, with Seymour Gap receiving 256mm in 24 hours, while Kirby received 244mm.

Further south, at Winton, all rural roads have been cut off and some properties will remain isolated for six to eight weeks due to flooding.

West of Winton towards Boulia, the Middleton community has recorded around 450mm since the weekend.

“On the Boulia road to Alice Springs there is currently three meters of water over the junctions,” Winton Mayor Gavin Baskett told AAP.

“Some crossings are at the highest level (flood levels) that some graziers have ever seen them.”

Winton's local disaster management group has been activated, with some properties bunkered in flood water for a long, isolated period.

“They're all graziers there, but luckily it's not tourist season,” Mr Baskett said.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the ex-tropical cyclone is expected to remain between Mount Isa and Longreach for the next few days.

Crews are still working to restore electricity to North Queensland residents left without power after Kirrily crossed the coast three days ago.

About 66,000 customers lost power at the height of the wild weather.

The remaining 1,000 homes that still have no electricity were expected to be restored by Tuesday evening.

Kirrily struck barely a month after Tropical Cyclone Jasper caused record flooding that devastated the far north.