Wild weather has caused flash flooding in Hobart's CBD, with cars swept away and emergency crews responding to hundreds of calls for help.
Police say the CBD has been hit hard, forcing the closure of many roads and with more heavy rain expected on Friday, motorists are urged to stay off city roads.
Streets turned into fast-flowing rivers, with water surging inside homes and businesses.
Flooding in MacQuarie Street. Source: Twitter: @aratty67
Two evacuation centres have been set up as SES crews work to prioritise hundreds of calls for assistance.
Flash flooding has also hit the Hobart suburbs of Blackmans Bay, Sandy Bay, and Kingston on the city's outskirts.
The University of Tasmania's Sandy Bay campus has been closed after some buildings flooded and power was cut.
Photo shows a kitchen flooded in a Hobart suburb. Source: Sam Ikin/ABC News
"Staff and student safety is our priority and access will not be restored to the campus until appropriate checks are made," the university said on its website.
Education officials have also closed up to 30 state schools.
More than 13,000 properties lost power as the storms rolled in, while some vehicles were swept away after Hobart received almost 130mm of rain in the past 24 hours.
"When we came down here I didn't even see my car," one woman told the Seven Network.
"I thought someone might have stolen it."
Emergency services have received hundreds of calls for assistance, including wind damage to roofs and sheds and trees blown over, but there have been no reports of injuries so far, police said on Friday.
People have been urged to avoid non-essential travel in storm-hit areas, especially the CBD.
"Major roads in the CBD are significantly affected by floodwaters and debris, and power outages are affecting some traffic lights," police said.
Emergency crews have been mobilised to clear the roads, but many will remain closed during this morning's peak hour.
The intense low-pressure system responsible for the wild weather will continue to be felt on Friday morning, with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing a flood watch for the eastern half of Tasmania.
"Rainfall is locally heavy about the eastern, southern, and central areas this morning, things will ease this afternoon and then contract to the north-east tonight," bureau forecaster Debbie Tabor has told The Mercury.
"We'll still have some showers left around, but the heaviest falls are likely to be this morning in the south and then along the east coast in the afternoon.
"There is the possibility of thunderstorms in the south and the east also."
Tasmania State Emergency Service for floods and storms: 132 500
