Warning issued over potentially life-threatening flooding in northeast Australia

Sydney: Australian authorities have issued a major flood warning for the country's northeast.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) on Friday issued a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall for communities along a 400-kilometre stretch of coast in far north Queensland state.

Residents in the area were told to prepare for up to half a metre of rainfall and for the possibility of flooding.

"Intensely heavy rainfall and significant, potentially life-threatening flash flooding are expected to develop," Miriam Bradbury from the BoM said.

"These areas have already seen a huge amount of rain so far this week, and additional rainfall is likely to lead to further flash flooding."

The area between Cairns and Townsville, the two biggest cities in far north Queensland, is expected to receive between 300 and 500 millimetres of rainfall between Friday night and Sunday.

Queensland's State Disaster Coordinator Shane Chelepy said at a press conference that flood preparations were underway.

He urged residents in the affected area to put a disaster plan in place, ensure they are stocked up on food and fuel and that their electronic devices are charged, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The most important thing they can do is stay connected with our messaging," he said.

The area controller for the State Emergency Service, Chris Watts, said that emergency crews prepared flood boats and storm damage equipment.

He said that residents in flood zones should be prepared to evacuate.

According to the BoM, parts of Queensland's north tropical coast received up to 800 millimeters of rain in the past week.

The heavy rainfall was being driven by three tropical low systems that formed off the coast of Queensland.