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.

The coastal towns are considered the gateway to the world's largest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef.

In Townsville, it rained as much in three days as it normally does in six months, public broadcaster the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) quoted the weather authority as saying. Several rivers burst their banks, and the water is still rising.

Near the village of Ingham, which was hit particularly hard, crocodiles were spotted in the water, said local residents.

Around 400 people were housed in evacuation centres due to the floods, according to media reports citing emergency services.

Jonathan How from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said in a video on X that through Monday night and into Tuesday there was a possibility of six-hourly rain totals up to 180 millimetres.

Many supermarkets also closed because they were partially flooded or no longer accessible. In some shops, there was hoarding and many shelves were empty. The regional government called on the population to remain calm, saying that there were enough food supplies in the warehouses to last at least six weeks.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on X that military personnel "are on the ground helping with everything from sandbagging to logistics," and emergency funds were being released to help residents.

"This is a significant and protracted weather event that we're seeing, with record-breaking rainfall in many locations," said BOM meteorologist Matthew Collopy.

He told residents that there woule be "a gradual easing" in the rains over the next 24 hours.