Lismore among NSW towns evacuated, as QLD schools stay closed

A Flood Evacuation Order has been issued for tens of thousands of NSW Northern Rivers residents as rising water from heavy rain threatens homes in the district.

More than 25,000 people in the Lismore region been added to the growing list of towns ordered to leave immediately.

Lismore South, North, Lismore CBD, Chinderah, Kingscliff, Fingal Head and Bilambi join Murwillumbah, Condong and Tumbulgum which were given the notice late this afternoon.

Residents have been told they must leave immediately, with additional warnings in place for the Tweed Heads region, in northern NSW.

The big wet is stretching emergency services as the weather system spreads, with experts warning the worst is yet to come.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have advised the Brisbane suburb of Archerfield has received 202 mm on Thursday, more than it had during the 2011 Brisbane floods.

Many other suburbs across southeast Queensland and in the NSW Northern Rivers were recording similar amounts.

Schools in storm-ravaged southeast Queensland will remain closed on Friday, after extensive flash flooding across the southeast closed more than 2000 schools today.

The aftermath of Cyclone Debbie caused huge rainfall in southeast Queensland, leading the state government to on Thursday close all public, private and independent schools.

Despite predictions the weather would ease on Friday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she wanted to be sure students, from Agnes Water south to the NSW border, weren't put at any risk.

Ms Palaszczuk apologised to parents and carers for the inconvenience of shutting schools on Thursday.

"But I won't [apologise] for putting safety front and centre," she said in Brisbane on Thursday afternoon.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad earlier said the closures were made based on the forecasts of heavy rains.

Northern NSW towns are being advised to prepare for evacuation as severe weather, generated by ex-cyclone Debbie, moves further south.

WHAT WE KNOW:
* More than 2000 schools, colleges and childcare centres in Queensland's southeast corner closed Thursday
'''* Schools remain closed on Friday
* Multiple floodwater rescues underway, including two near Mackay
* Aspley in Brisbane had 135mm rain in 3 hours Thursday morning
* People are urged to stay home and stay off the roads
* Flash flooding should be expected as up to 500mm of rain could drench parts of the southeast
* PM Turnbull and OL Shorten visit cyclone-ravaged region

In an unprecedented move, 763 state schools, 1286 Catholic and private schools and 546 child care centres were closed on Thursday due to fears of flash flooding.

In Brisbane, university and TAFE campuses closed early, all the theme parks on the Gold Coast were shut and beaches along the entire south eastern coast from Mackay were also closed.

In Mackay, almost 100 people were rescued by emergency workers after being trapped by floodwaters in cyclone-battered central Queensland. Many of those were stranded on rooftops, cars and verandas from flooding.

A very lucky B-double truck driver walked away with no serious injuries while his rig was totalled on the Bruce Highway, near Mackay.

He was one unfortunate hero among the hundreds of truckies across the cyclone-affected region putting themselves at risk to keep the supplies flowing.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services commissioner Katarina Carroll said emergency services were braced for many more calls.

"Whilst it's looking pretty horrendous out there, it's going to get worse," she said.

She warned that as the weather worsens, emergency crews may not be in a position to rescue people.

"We will respond for as long as we can, but there will become a point later tonight where we mightn't be able to."

Parts of Brisbane have been inundated with water, with video taken at Graceville railway station showing a flooded thoroughfare in what will likely be an early example of things to come.

Brisbane's average March rainfall is 110mm but parts of the city received that in a few hours. Aspley had 135mm in three hours on Thursday morning.

Damaging winds of 90km/h, and possibly gusting to 125km/h, are also expected along the coast.

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart urged Queenslanders to stay inside and not to underestimate the dangers of the heavy rainfall.

"We saw what happened five or six years ago when we had the summer of disasters. Debbie has a sting in the tail and it will affect all of Queensland and potentially New South Wales," Commissioner Stewart said.

• Still stranded: Thousands cut off with supplies diminishing after Cyclone Debbie

• Embrace cyclone-hit Qld towns, locals urge

• Cyclone Debbie's remnants to lash NSW

• Turnbull, Shorten in Debbie-damaged Bowen

- With AAP