Australia Today Update: There are emergency alerts across the southeast tonight as we brace for 48 hours of unrelenting rain

 There are emergency alerts across the southeast tonight as we brace for 48 hours of unrelenting rain. It is a dangerous system moving slowly down the coast. Already catching some off guard, washed off. The ball will drive north of Gympie. An 85-year-old grandmother wrapped in a car. Police sprung into action, wading into the water and pulling her from the car through the back passenger door, walking her to safety. Thankfully uninjured.

Flash flooding taking drivers by surprise. It's the biggest concern authorities have as a dangerous deluge sets in over the southeast overnight. Wide Bay received the heaviest rain. Ses volunteers are busy at Tin Can Bay. A lot of localized flooding, and a lot of inundation in houses. 50 calls for help in the area, which recorded 288 mm by 09:00 a.m.

There are a lot of people displaced. They've had water through some of their properties. We're just assessing the damage this morning. Just south, Coops Creek recorded 291. Wasn't as heavy as Gympie, but locals today grabbed sandbags just in case.

Do change quickly on the Sunshine Coast. Sunrise Perugian and North Perugian beaches are all closed, and the storms increasing, so it's just a bit of a precaution. The low is moving south slowly tonight. There are emergency alerts for Brisbane and Redland City and a flood watch for the southeast. Gympie, Maroochydore Cabula, Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast, and Culinagatta could be affected. There's a good chance that we could see widespread falls of 50 to 150 some places could get another two to 300 mm.

Coast, we could actually see what we call intense rainfall that can lead to really dangerous life-threatening. Flash flooding. Water is pumping from Wave and Ho dams. Gated releases started overnight. Expected to cut some roads. Colleges crossing open today but are being monitored.

And as we go into the evening, the rain has just settled down for a minute, but as you can see around, this is what we're seeing in Gympie. There are trees starting to go underwater. Paddocks are being flooded. Roads are being cut off right across southeast Queensland. This road here just started to go under 135 roads cut off at the moment, we're being told. And, of course, more rain coming tonight. We're expecting the heaviest falls tomorrow morning. Up to 300 mm in some areas. And the message is, everybody just is alert.

A good message indeed. Thank you so much. Steve Hart will go to Rosanna Kingston now. And Rosie, residents have been collecting sandbags. Katrina, we're at the New Market Depot, one of five across the city where residents can collect sandbags. Twenty-four, seven, and where they have been doing so this afternoon. More than 1170 have been prepacked. Brisbane City Council has issued an emergency alert advice and sent out text messages warning people that up to 150 rain is forecast. They're urging residents in low-lying areas to be prepared. But the Brisbane River is not even expected to reach the minor flood warning. But creeks and tributaries could flood all.

Right, thank you, Rosie. We will bring in our coastal expert Paul Burt now. And Birdie, we're being warned to stay away from our beaches. In fact, I'd love to jump straight to the charge. You can see that low pushing down the coast. As quick as this comes down, those.

We are talking shifting direction east northeast, up to 4 meters tomorrow. Of course, with that direction, that means it'll scarf out those northeast-facing drones and corners such as Burley. As quick as it comes, that swell will drop off wind gusts. We've had gale wind warnings already issued today, dropping back the strong wind warnings. That's 38 to 40 knots now back down to around 30 knots. So it is fluctuating temps today from a bit of drizzle to start with across the southeast.