The Australian Defence Force will be sent into southeast Queensland to help with recovery following storms and heavy rain.

Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said 50 ADF personnel will head to the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan.

“We know that right across those three councils there remains quite a lot of the energy network which needs replacement, power lines that are down,” he said.

“The ADF personnel will in particular be focusing on the clearance of debris to make it easier to access that infrastructure and get it repaired and reconnected.”

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said this was "a good start".

"Let's see the assessment and then let's see what sort of equipment we can incorporate with that," he said.

"I'd imagine that number will increase ... but once they're on the ground we'll make a recovery plan."

There are still 11,000 homes that have been without power since storms lashed the southeast on Christmas Day.

Rescue workers battle heavy rain on the Gold Coast. – QFES

“We know how frustrating it is, we know how difficult it is for families, in particular at this time of the year but we’re working as hard as we can to get that power restored,” Deputy Premier Cameron Dick said.

There have been 700 calls to the SES for help in the past 24  hours, with 50 people needing rescuing from flood waters.

“This situation continues to be dangerous and dynamic,” meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said.

On Monday evening 44 people were rescued from a campground inundated with floodwater in the Gold Coast hinterland. One person was transported to hospital with minor injuries.

At Cedar Creek, southwest of Ormeau, more than 300mm of rain had fallen in the 24 hours to 9am on Tuesday, while North Tamborine got 261mm and 246mm fell at Beenleigh.

Gold Coast theme parks – Movie World, Wet n Wild, Dreamworld and Whitewater World – closed on Tuesday due to the downpour.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned that heavy rainfall and flooding could continue into Wednesday morning.

“This weather system will see the focus of it shift towards Brisbane and upwards towards the Sunshine Coast over the course of today,” meteorologist David Grant said.

“And with that that’s where we’re probably going to see our primary flood risk during the course of today, into tonight and potentially even into early parts of Wednesday morning.”

Rescuers also responded to at least 115 incidents in 24 hours triggered by storms and flooding in northern NSW.

A swollen Coomera river following flash flooding on the Gold Coast. – AAP

Crews had completed 27 rescues in the Northern Rivers region alone since New Year's Day although no significant injuries had been reported, the NSW State Emergency Service said.

More that 300mm of rain had fallen at Limpinwood in the Tweed Valley, while falls exceeding 200mm had caused flash flooding at a number of other locations.

Minor to moderate riverine flooding has occurred on the Tweed, Wilsons and Richmond rivers, with the most significant impact at Tumbulgum.

The SES said water levels were expected to rise across various catchments and inundation warnings were possible throughout Tuesday as the flow along the Richmond River moved towards Coraki to Lismore’s south.

SES Assistant Commissioner Dean Storey said while the intense rain experienced on Monday wasn’t expected to recur, the risk was not over.

Rescuers work on the Gold Coast. – QFES

“Catchments in and around the Northern Rivers continue to see the impacts of significant rainfall over the past 24 to 48 hours, and we’re expecting flood warnings to continue across the region,” he said.

“People in the Northern Rivers should heed the direction of emergency services on the ground, never drive through floodwaters and avoid unnecessary travel today.”

Isolated showers and thunderstorms are forecast across most of Queensland, with the possibility of moderate to heavy falls in parts of the state’s southeast.

Nindooinbah Dam, west of the Gold Coast, and Leslie Harrison Dam, in Brisbane’s southeast, started spilling excess water due to the heavy rain late on Monday.

Seqwater cautioned residents downstream of the dams to avoid potential hazards such as fast flowing or deep water near waterways and flood plains.

Flash flooding after heavy rain in southeast Queensland. – QFES

Queensland authorities said forecast rainfall indicated that releases may be required from the North Pine and Somerset dams within the next 24-48 hours.

“Our waterways and infrastructure aren’t built to withstand such a large amount of rain over such a short period,” Bradbury said.

A flood watch was issued for Queensland’s Capricornia and South East Coast regions late Monday evening. Flood warnings also applied to the Logan, Albert, Nerang, Coomera and Paroo rivers.

State Disaster Co-ordinator Shane Chelepy said on Monday the Gold Coast had been drenched, with Currumbin Creek receiving 571mm of rainfall in 24 hours, Upper Springbrook 350mm, Mount Tamborine 161mm and Pimpama more than 375mm.

Limpinwood in NSW received 307mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on Monday, Numinbah 297mm, Coffs Harbour Airport 205mm and Sawtell 190mm.