It has now made landfall on the coast near Ayr, north of Bowen, and is soaking large parts of the north coast all the way down to the Whitsundays.
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji has made landfall in Queensland, bringing with it heavy rains and gale-force winds - and more is on the way.
The tropical low was declared a cyclone overnight as a category 1 storm.
It has since been downgraded back to a tropical low, but there's still significant rainfall to come.
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Making landfall about 9am AEST, the system has crossed the coast near Ayr, north of Bowen, and is soaking large parts of the north coast all the way down to the Whitsundays.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned residents in and around Ayr and Bowen will see the heaviest rain, which could bring flash flooding into tomorrow.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has warned that while the ex-tropical cyclone has been downgraded, heavy rain and flash flooding is still a risk.
"They are swollen catchments and in the hours and in the days ahead there's expected to be significant rainfall still to come," he said.
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He said strong winds are also having an effect.
He said the highest wind speed, which occurred just before 9.30am as the system crossed the coast, was recorded as 113km/h at Hamilton Island.
"That's a significant wind speed."
About 370mm of rain has fallen on some areas west of Mackay, the BOM says, and much more is on the way.
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"The low will continue to move south south-west at a steady pace for around about 18km/h and it will continue to produce heavy rainfall," a spokeswoman warned.
"And in some areas local wind gusts to around 90km/h. So that's a damaging wind gusts."
Rescues related to the ex-tropical cyclone include a woman and two children who had to flee their car after driving into flood waters.
They had been led to the location by Google Maps.
Two men also had to be rescued after their boat sank in the wild weather.
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The BoM's warning zone currently extends from Ayr to Mackay, including the Whitsunday Islands, Bowen and Proserpine.
The warning for Townsville was cancelled overnight.
There are multiple "take shelter now" emergency alerts in place.
Locals are being told if they have any concerns, to get themselves to evacuation shelters and facilities to keep themselves and their families safe.
Koji's effects have already been felt along Queensland's coastline with choppy surf and palm trees resembling rag dolls, as they flop back and forth in the wind.
Townsville Airport has now reopened.
A severe weather warning is in place for heavy to locally intense rainfall and damaging winds about the north-east and central Queensland coasts.
Cattle killed in floods
A total of 45,500 head of cattle have so far been reported as lost in the floods, the premier said, but the number is expected to rise.
"The economic impact for western Queensland because of how important agriculture is to underpin those communities will be large," the premier said.
"We're continuing to supply fodder and we are also bringing in veterinary supplies to try to deal with things like bacteria and pneumonia, which is a real risk for beasts when they're standing in the water.
"We're doing everything we can to try to spare as many of those as possible and help those primary producers."
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Complicating management of the weather event is a serious connectivity issue affecting the Townsville area.
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A thief cut a telecommunications line while trying to steal copper in Deeragun.
"My message to that lowlife is you have put at risk the lives of North Queenslanders in their hour of need and you can't get a lower act than that," Premier David Crisafulli said.
"And we intend to make sure that we throw the book at this individual when they are caught.
"Telecommunications are life and death."
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