Flooding has cut the Bruce Highway and other vital transport routes in North Queensland. The worst-affected towns, such as Ingham and Halifax, are relying on Defence Force helicopters to fly in essentials. Some roads are expected to reopen in the next 48 hours.

Queensland’s flood watch zone has been extended as the state’s north prepares for a more rain, which could hamper recovery efforts in the already hard-hit and waterlogged parts of the coast.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to visit Far North Queensland today with plans to visit the flood-affected communities. Two people have died, and hundreds of properties, businesses and farmland have been hit with a deluge of rain in a catastrophic wet weather event.