Flooding in Australia has inflicted "incredible" devastation on communities across northern Queensland, the state's premier has said, even though conditions are easing faster than predicted. Thousands of residents who evacuated from their homes are set to return on Tuesday but it is feared hundreds of homes and businesses have been inundated.

Flood waters are rising in the Australian state of Queensland after heavy rainfall. The area between Townsville and Cairns in the north-east is particularly badly affected - a region that is also very popular with tourists.

Record-breaking floods across north Queensland have now turned deadly, with one woman drowning while being rescued on Sunday morning. And the floodwaters are still rising, with rain set to continue.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned that Tuesday could bring heavy rainfall between Cairns and Townsville with a severe weather warning in place between Cardwell and Yabulu.

Australian authorities warned that a major flood risk will persist in the northeastern state of Queensland despite torrential rain easing on Monday (February 3).

Authorities are warning deadly flooding in northern Queensland is expected to worsen. More than a metre of rain has fallen between Townsville and Innisfail in the past five days due to a slow-moving monsoon trough.