Heavy rain and thunderstorms have hammered Townsville and surrounding areas, with up to 350mm forecast to swamp north Queensland.
Flash flooding is likely and a severe weather warning, which was issued on Wednesday morning, would probably stay in place throughout Thursday, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman says.
More than 30mm of rain fell in half an hour in Townsville on Wednesday afternoon while at Nelly Bay, on Magnetic Island, 212mm of rain came down in six hours.
Storms are predicted to continue producing heavy rain between Georgetown and Townsville before moving west later on Thursday.
