Until Thursday afternoon, the number of incident reports from the state’s emergency department had grown to over 500, with flooding and building damage impacting communities the most.

People in Sydney and elsewhere have been warned of immediate flood risks and to brace for another wet summer.

Climate change could increase the severity of weather events stemming from El Niño and La Niña patterns, according to a 2018 study on atmospheric conditions that ran simulations of climate conditions.

Large parts of Queensland are anticipating another natural calamity in the days ahead. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) sent warning and urged residents to be prepared for the destructive gales and torrential rainfall.