LISTEN: Former Durban resident shares Townsville flooding experience

Mark Ryan and his wife are among the thousands of people in the area who have been forced to evacuate their homes, as torrential downpours there continue.

 “It was really stressful for us; the wind and the rain just wouldn’t stop. You could literally just watch the water rising in your street,” said Ryan.

 Ryan said the area has been lashed by rain for more than a week.

“When the river burst its banks, it just kept coming and there was nothing you could do to stop it.”

 Some areas are on track to receive more than their entire annual average rainfall before the downpours are over.

Queensland state officials have described the deluge as the 'floods of the century'.

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Ryan said many of the area's main access roads are submerged, with some properties and streets at least knee-deep in water.

While receiving some respite from the rain today, forecasters expect the downpours to continue until at least Thursday.

Once the rain eventually stops, it will still take some time for the floodwaters to subside.

The situation in Townsville has been compounded by the need to open the floodgates on the Ross River dam, which has seen water levels exceed 200 percent capacity.

Some 20,000 homes are at risk of flooding should the rainfall persist.

The north Queensland coast is no stranger to severe storms and heavy rain during the monsoon season at this time of year, but the current conditions have far exceeded normal levels.

Affected residents have been forced to abandon their homes until the situation improves. Many are seeking refuge with friends and family or accommodation venues in higher areas out of the floodplains.

Others are staying at evacuation centres set-up at public facilities.

The airport is expected to be reopened tomorrow morning.

Queensland police say damage inspections will only be conducted once it is safe to do so.

Listen to the full interview with Mark Ryan below: