Fire-ravaged Australia is facing fresh misery after a storm described as a one-in-100-year event caused flash flooding across swathes of the east coast.

Torrential rain doused some bushfires but it also caused major submersions in Brisbane and along the Gold Coast of Queensland on Friday and Saturday.

Emergency services had to carry out at least three rescues, including two people who were caught in cars in swift-moving water and a mother and child trapped after a tree toppled onto their vehicle.

At least 50 homes have been reported flooded in Brisbane, while major highways, including a stretch of the Pacific Motorway, have been shut.

Thunder and downpours also hit the states of Victoria and New South Wales, knocking out power to hundreds of homes. Sydney experienced its wettest day in four months.

Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? Show all 21 1 /21 Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-15.JPG Philippe Ravenel poses for a photo in front of the remains of his house after it was burnt in a bushfire, in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 13, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Photos Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-19.JPG Volunteers arrange donated clothes at a centre that has been turned into an unofficial donation point in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia. Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-10.JPG Children play inside an Australian Army forces vehicle that was expedited to help with the recovery of the town following the bushfires, during a gathering at the town's pub to commemorate the loss of three members of the community and honour the efforts of the local firefighters in Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-17.JPG A teapot salvaged from the house of Philippe Ravenel, whose home was burnt in a bushfire, stands amongst some of his other belongings in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 13, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-16.JPG A man sits on a bench as caravans and tents of evacuees are parked at a showground that was turned into an unofficial evacuation centre, in the town of Cobargo, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-12.JPG Two women embrace during a gathering in the town's pub, to commemorate the loss of three members of the community and honour the efforts of the local firefighters, in Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY.JPG Tim Salway, a fifth-generation dairy farmer who lost both his father and brother in the bushfires, stands in his farm in Wandella, near the town of Cobargo. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-6.JPG A firefighter's suit hangs on the fence of a property next to a sign that reads "Thanks guys" in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-13.JPG Rod Dunn who is a builder, stands outside a borrowed caravan that he is now living in with his wife Kath Dunn, after they lost their home in a bushfire, at a showground that was turned into an unofficial evacuation centre in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-18.JPG Donated clothes and blankets are piled outside an unofficial donation point in the town of Cobargo. Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-1.JPG The Cobargo town sign that was burnt in a bushfire, stands in Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-11.JPG A note that reads "Post Apocalyptic Fiction is moved to Current Affairs" is posted on the window of a bookshop in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-14.JPG People listen to a speech during a gathering in the town's pub, to commemorate the loss of three members of the community and honour the efforts of the local firefighters, in Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-3.JPG Mark Ayliffe, captain of the Cobargo Rural Fire Service, holds his own portrait that was given to him by members of the community for his efforts in the recent bushfires, during a gathering in the town's pub, in Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-9.JPG Donated children's shoes are displayed at a centre that has been turned into an unofficial donation point in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 13, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-8.JPG People select donated goods at a showground that was turned into an unofficial evacuation centre, in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-7.JPG The remains of a car, burnt by a bushfire, stands in front of a destroyed structure, in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-5.JPG A woman carrying a child, holds a box of donated goods, at a showground that was turned into an unofficial evacuation centre, in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-2.JPG A danger sign is hung in front of an area cordoned off by the Emergency State Services, that was destroyed by bushfires in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-0.JPG David Moran, a community worker from Dalmeny, climbs down a ladder as he is helped by volunteers Daniel and Stephanie Galileos to clean the solar panels on Peter Hisco's (R) house in the town of Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters Australia fires: What's next for towns devastated by wildfires? AUSTRALIA-BUSHFIRES-COMMUNITY-4.JPG People attend a gathering in the town's pub to commemorate the loss of three members of the community and honour the efforts of the local firefighters, in Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "COBARGO BUSHFIRE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters

Kimba Wong, forecaster with Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, said that up to 300 millimetres of rain had fallen in just a few hours in some areas.

“The highest total that we have recorded is 330 millimetres at Loder Creek on the Gold Coast, so some very heavy rainfall there,” she said. “We did have an emergency warning for that rainfall because we had some reports of flash flooding in some locations and in some locations it was a one-in-100-year event.”

More showers and thunderstorms may be on the way over the next couple of days, she added.

The storms come as some of the worst bushfires in Australia’s history continue to rage.

At least 29 people have been killed since September, with more than 2,500 homes destroyed and an area nearly a third the size of Germany scorched as flames exacerbated by record temperatures have fanned across the country.

Australia fires: Huge red flames rage as crews continue to protect properties close-by across NSW

A billion animals are estimated to have perished.

Experts say a combination of extreme heat, prolonged drought and strong winds have exacerbated the seasonal fires, with the country in the grip of an unprecedented heatwave.