UK travellers to the cyclone-hit Australian state of Queensland have been urged to follow the advice of local emergency services.
The alert came in updated Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice in the wake of severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie.
Ears of flash-flooding came after the storm entered the state’s most populous region after striking the north-east coast for two days.
Although no longer a cyclone, the storm is expected to hit state capital Brisbane with 200mm of rain today – more than its monthly average.
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology warned that parts of south-east Queensland could see as much as 400mm of rain on Thursday.
“What we know is that we are anticipating the heavy falls in a short duration of time,” senior forecaster Matthew Bass said.
More than 1,000 schools were forced to close and at least 50 people were rescued from cars trapped in floodwaters.
Authorities warned that flooding could also force the suspension of public transport.
The FCO said the cyclone had caused significant damage and flooding with further heavy further rainfall expected across Queensland including Brisbane.
“The Australian government has activated a disaster response plan; you should monitor the media closely and follow the advice of local emergency services,” the FCO added.