State Emergency Services have been working tirelessly to assist stranded residents, after torrential rain drenched south-east Queensland overnight.

The SES says it received more than 1300 calls for help before midday.

Sacha Passi reports.

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TRANSCRIPT

Backyards flooded, homes ruined and businesses shut down.

Brisbane residents were caught-out by the overnight deluge.

Fire fighters worked to save stranded motorists, trapped in floodwaters.

Rising creek levels left this tow-truck in need of rescuing.

Vox 1: “Waiting for someone to come tow me out.”

Northern suburbs, towards Strathpine and the Sunshine Coast, were hit the hardest.

Vox 2: “We’ve had 125mm overnight. That’s almost five inches.”

Construction on the Airport link tunnel came to a halt.

Swelling waters from Kedron Brook rose dangerously high, flooding machinery worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Rick Biddle arrived at work to find his commercial printing equipment destroyed.

His machinery was submerged in almost 20 inches of water.

Rick Biddle, Business Owner: “When I walked in and saw what had happened, sort of a bit of a realisation started to sink in that it could well be over so yeah it’s pretty devastating.”

Rick says the damage bill could be up to three million dollars.

Rick Biddle, Business Owner: “Hopefully we’ll be okay. I mean we’ve got 33 staff here so there’s a lot of concern for them as well.”

Police are cautioning drivers and members of the public to take care in the hazardous conditions. They say flood waters can be extremely unpredictable and dangerous.

Neil Roberts, Emergency Services Minister: “Water is exceptionally dangerous, even a foot of water can take a car off a bridge or road. So we’re just pleading with the public to stay out of flood waters.”

It’s sound advice, with the downpour set to continue.

Sacha Passi, QUT News.