'Intense rainfall and dangerous thunderstorms' from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred continue to threaten Australia's east coast amid 'life-threatening' flood warnings

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to wreak havoc with the wild weather far from over.

South-east Queensland and northern NSW continue to be smashed by torrential rain, and severe thunderstorms, along with dangerous and 'life-threatening' flooding.

It's been a sleepless night for millions of residents between the Sunshine and Gold Coasts and the Scenic Rim region after severe thunderstorm warnings was issued.

Areas in the firing line to receive intense rainfall that could lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding on Sunday night included Gympie, Brisbane City, Moreton Bay and Ipswich.

Both Brisbane and the Gold Coast were hammered with a 'rapid ramp-up' of torrential rain late Sunday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

'Basically from the CBD out towards Ipswich, and then right through Kenmore, Mount Cootha, and through the Samford Valley — some of the rainfall totals are getting to pretty phenomenal levels,'Bureau of Meteorology's Matthew Bass told ABC Radio Brisbane.

Brisbane was expected to cop a 130mm deluge overnight after two months worth of rain in 24 hours (200m) was recorded in the 24 hours prior.

Another 80mm is forecast to drench the city on Monday.

Many residents across the Gold Coast stranded by major flooding were advised on Sunday night to seek shelter and 'get up as high as you can'.

Impacted areas included Logan, Tamborine, Cedar Creek, Wolfdene, Bannockburn, Windaroo, Mt Warren Park, Beenleigh, and Eagleby.

An emergency alert was issued for the town of Laidley in the Lockyer Valley 85km west of Brisbane.

'Dangerous flooding is likely to occur in the coming hours, and urges residents to take shelter now,' the warning states.

Urgent flood warnings were also issued for the NSW Northern Rivers early Monday.

'The main flood peak along the Clarence River is now approaching Grafton, where major flooding is occurring,' the latest alert read.

Moderate flooding has already occurred at nearby Ulmarra, with Maclean also at risk of going under.

Further down the coast, Kempsey residents were urged due to get ready to evacuate due to 'dangerous moderate flooding'.

There won't be a 'significant easing' of rain until 'some stage' Monday.

'Unfortunately this has been a very prolonged event for everyone and I know the community is feeling it,' Mr Bass said.

'But we are going to have to remain vigilant at least, probably, for another 12-24 hours.'

The rain is expected to ease by mid-week.

'The intense rainfall will continue,' meteorologist Sue Oates said.

'The system will shift south of the Queensland border … and then an easing of the conditions through eastern Australia on Tuesday.'

Authorities on the Gold Coast have issued an emergency warning to residents stranded by major flooding.

Residents in Currumbin, Currumbin Valley, Tallebudgera, Tallebudgera Valley and Elanora to 'take action now' to stay safe in their home.

'Go inside and up high. Do not try to drive,' the local council states

'Roads are now likely to be flooded. If you are near floodwater, you may need to get up as high as you can to survive.'

'If you do not have a plan, it may be too late to leave safely.'

In the NSW Northern Rivers, residents in low-lying areas communities along the Clarence River near Grafton have been urged by the SES to evacuate before it's too late.

Further down the coast, those in the Kempsey CBD have been advised to 'prepare to evacuate' due to 'dangerous moderate flooding' expected.

Almost 224,000 homes and businesses across south-east Queensland were still without power early Monday morning, according to the Energex website.

Gold Coast was the worst hit region with 72,694 customers impacted, followed by Brisbane (45,106), Redland City (34,907), Moreton Bay (34, 060) and Logan (30, 342).

It comes after Energex crews worked around the clock to restore power to 100,000 properties across the region on Sunday

'While it’s a relief to be making headway, we’re also acutely conscious that it continues to be a long, hard slog for others, some of whom were hit in the first early waves of #TCAlfred,' it said.

'We have teams working around the clock, and tomorrow we’ll build on today’s gains – we just need the weather to work with us, and for flooding to hold off.'

Hundreds of schools across south-east Queensland and northern NSW will remain shut on Monday as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to cause havoc.

Queensland schools unscathed by the storm will reopen only if it's safe to do so.

“Where it’s safe to do so, schools will reopen with the exception of the Gold Coast,' Premier David Crisafulli said.

More than 680 state, Catholic and indepedent schools in Queensland will remain closed on Monday. Full list here.

An additional 255 schools also remain shut in northern NSW. Full list here.

'As the full impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to unfold and clean-up efforts begin to get under way, our priority is ensuring the safety of students and staff,' NSW education minister Prue Car said.

The NSW closues could delay the start of NAPLAN tests for public school students in years 3,5,7 and 9.

The NAPLAN tests are scheduled to take place from Wednesday, March 12 to Monday, March 24.

Footage has emerged of celebrations as power was reinstated to the Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon.

An entire street erupted into loud cheers and applause as the power came back on for the first time in three days.

Many were seen celebrating from their high rise balconies.

'Aussies are something special,' the TikTok clip was captioned.

About 450,000 properties across south-east Queensland have been impacted by blackouts since the start of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

About 268,000 households across the region remain without power on Sunday afternoon, according to Energex.

That figure includes 100,000 on the Gold Coast.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has returned to south-east Queensland for the second time in recent days.

The PM met with ADF personnel at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane working to support the community through Ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

He also toured the disaster and emergency management centres in Logan and on the Gold Coast.

'To everyone who has come together and worked day and night to get us through Ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred, thank you,' Mr Albanese posted on X.

The PM is expected to visit flood-ravaged Lismore in northern NSW on Monday.

About 268,000 households across south-east Queensland remain without power on Sunday afternoon, according to Energex.

Power is slowly being restored across the region in difficult and dangerous conditions, even as new outages take place.

An additional 5,682 customers remain without power in the Toowoomba region, as well as 1,419 on the Fraser Coast.

Another 12,500 home across northern NSW remain without power

An estimated 450,000 properties have been impacted by blackouts since the start of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli paid tribute to the crews working tirelessly to restore power.

Northern NSW is in for another day of heavy rain on Monday as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred turns south after moving into western Queensland.

The weather system was moving over the towns of Kingaroy and Miles, about three hours north of Brisbane on Sunday, the Bureau of Meteorology’s Sue Oates said

'But then the system will shift south of the Queensland border, where ... heavier rainfall will occur over NSW during Monday.'

Ms Oates said that in Queensland, Sunday is 'the key day for heavy rainfall and where we’ll see the most significant 24-hour totals'.

She said the rain would ease in Brisbane from Monday.

'But don’t expect that the skies will be clear on Monday. It will be unsettled, and we are expecting showers and potentially thunderstorms through our area,' she said.

'Finally, for eastern Australia, we should see an easing of the conditions on Tuesday.'

Queensland premier, David Crisafulli said more than 1,000 emergency callouts had been made by 1.30pm on Sunday as the south-east of the state was hammered by heavy rain from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Across the border in north-eastern NSW, the SES said it had 810 incidents, including 21 flood rescues.

Mr Crisafulli said many Brisbane suburbs at still at risk of from flash flooding.

'In the past couple of hours we’ve certainly seen some heavy rainfall,' he said.

'As the system continues to come across the coast there is no doubt that it continues to pack a punch.'

NSW residents in areas where evacuation orders have been lifted, such as Lismore, have been advised to proceed with caution.

NSW SES assistant commissioner Nicole Hogan urged people to 'make sure their properties are safe and to check for damage and any potential dangers before entering'.

This young woman figured she would wade out in the flooded Edmondstone Street in the Brisbane suburb of Newmarket to get the perfect selfie.

Or maybe the music she was listening to and whatever she was looking at on her phone was just too distracting and she didn't realise she'd waken into floodwaters.

Other locals just stood at the edge of the flooded Edmondstone Street. The young man pointing, though, is possibly pointing at the woman walking through the flood.

This automotive business on Edmondstone Street in Newmarket is not going to like whatever damage the flooding has done, but hopefully the water will soon recede.

The Queensland government will post a list online by 5pm on Sunday evening listing every school and its status indicating whether it will be open on Monday or not, while in NSW, all public schools that were close on Friday will remain so on Monday.

More than 1,000 Queensland public schools closed before ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred hit.

Premier David Crisafulli said school grounds are being checked to evaluate if students can safely return.

He said schools will reopen on a case-by-case, rather than regional or suburb basis.

For instance, in Narangba Valley in Moreton Bay, the state primary school will open on Monday, but the state high school which has a lot of fallen trees on the property, will stay closed.

'Where it's safe to do so, schools will reopen with the exception of the Gold Coast where it remains with significant damage and power loss and issues with transport,' Mr Crisafulli said.

The list of school closures in Queensland is here.

In NSW, the state government confirmed all public schools that were closed on Friday due to the cyclone will be closed again on Monday.

The Education Department will provide an update tomorrow about any school closures for Tuesday.

The full list of the 255 schools that will be closed on Monday is here.

Because of closures this week, NAPLAN tests will be rescheduled for pupils in south-east Queensland to Monday, March 17, but will go ahead elsewhere in the state on Wednesday.