The Premier has finished a press conference from the State Disaster Coordination Centre. 

At least five people have died as a result of flooding in south-east Queensland overnight.

Tragically, an SES member died while on their way to rescue a family trapped by floodwaters when their vehicle was swept off the road.

Three other volunteers who were in the vehicle managed to escape.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said it’s a terrible loss.

“We grieve that volunteer’s loss but also we pay tribute to their service in their life and of course pass condolences on to family friends, colleagues, in the broader Queensland community.”

Another two people are missing at Gympie and Yandina.

Queensland emergency services made 132 flood rescues overnight and responded to more than 1800 requests for assistance.

Mr Ryan said Queenslanders need to exercise extra caution this weekend.

“I need everyone out there to be making sensible decisions; considering where and when they go and planning their journey,” he said.

“Do not driver into floodwaters.”

Nine News reporter Josh Bavas told Rob McKnight it’s “quite serious” in the Coolum area because the Maroochy has burst its banks.

“There are people here in the homes along the road, scrambling to get out,” he said.

“People are piling their belongings into tinnies, into anything they’ve got to try and get out.”

Press PLAY below to hear more on the troubling scenes at Coolum

This is one of the main roads to Noosa from the Bruce Hwy, Yandina Coolum Road. Properties are going under water as the Maroochy River bursts its banks. pic.twitter.com/UogCictIy8

— Josh Bavas (@JoshBavas) February 25, 2022

Moreton Bay Regional Council Mayor Peter Flannery told Rob McKnight high tides and run-off from mountains are causing added flood risks.

“We’ve had a lot of rainfall again in our western areas of our region and the hinterland there of Mt Mee.

“That’s coming down through the creeks and rivers, heading out to Moreton Bay and is having a major impact on some of those suburbs downstream.”

Press PLAY below to hear the latest update for the Moreton Bay region

Ipswich Mayor Karen Williams is busy sandbagging in her community today.

She told Rob McKnight there’s been a few lucky swiftwater rescues in the area, including one that happened only after a flood camera snapped an extraordinary picture.

Press PLAY below to hear the extraordinary story

Weatherman Justin Noonan says several locations have received more than a metre of rain in the last week.

“This is really a staggering event and look, it’s probably going to go down in the history books.”

Press PLAY below to hear Justin Noonan’s latest update

EARLIER

Residents of south-east Queensland are being urged to avoid all non-essential travel this weekend.

Heavy rainfall and flooding is causing extensive road closures including on the Bruce Highway.

There are now 10 areas across southern Queensland under an emergency alert for flooding, including Moreton Bay.

Alerts have been issued for several locations including Somerset, Lockyer Valley, Toowoomba, Gympie and Noosa.

Authorities are most concerned about the Lockyer Valley, with residents in low lying areas being told to evacuate.

Transport and Main Road Minister Mark Bailey urged people to stay off the roads where possible.

“We’ve closed a 4.5-kilometre stretch of the Bruce Highway southbound at Caboolture due to flooding, and it’s expected to stay closed for 24 hours,” Mr Bailey said in a statement.

“This means traffic will be reduced to one lane each way for people travelling between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

“This is expected to create significant delays, so we are asking people to avoid the area.”

He said there are now hundreds of road closures across the south east.

🛑 The Bruce Highway near King Johns Creek is closed from this afternoon due to this week’s record rains 🛑

We’ve closed the southbound carriageway and we are implementing contra flow traffic on the northbound lanes of the highway for the next 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/LP2KIY5EGz

— Transport and Main Roads Queensland (@TMRQld) February 25, 2022

Nine News weatherman Garry Youngberry said he was travelling south on the Bruce Highway near Caboolture, Morayfield and said it was a “carpark” and predicted conditions will deteriorate.

“I think we haven’t seen the worst of it yet,” he told Scott Emerson.

Press PLAY below to hear his latest forecast

Traffic reporter Rhys Messenger says there’s major delays on the Bruce Highway due to the southbound lanes being completely shut at the King Johns Creek bridge in Caboolture.

* The Bruce Highway southbound at Caboolture (a 4.5km stretch)
* The Bruce Highway south of Gympie, where the road is cut off
* Toowoomba Connection Road, which is closed up and down the Range
* The Lamington Bridge in Maryborough, which is flooded

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) February 25, 2022

Press PLAY below to hear the latest traffic cross

Incident controller superintendent James Haigh, from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, said there’s very heavy rain in the south-east.

He said they have dealt with a very large number of requests for assistance.

He said there were around 1000 calls for assistance, including 41 water rescues.

The situation is “accelerating very quickly”.

Press PLAY below to hear more

Meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, Felim Hanniffy, explained the latest on the weather situation.

He said there was a risk of very intense falls occurring once again.

Press PLAY below to hear the latest in 4BC Drive

Moreton Bay Regional Council Mayor Peter Flannery says there are 130 roads closed in the region.

“If you don’t need to go out – please don’t go out in this kind of weather.”

Evacuation centres in the Moreton Bay region will open from 6pm tonight.

Press PLAY below to hear more about what’s happening in the region

Image: Josh Bavas / Twitter