SERIOUS FLOODING IN EASTERN Australia caused by torrential rainfall has caused hundreds of millions of dollars of damage to crops and forced residents to evacate from several towns in the region.

The poor weather recorded over the past month deteriorated further as Cyclone Tasha struck Queensland on Saturday, the BBC reports.

The Sydney Morning Herald says it is the worst flooding since 1942 and the weather service cannot predict how much more rain will fall in the affected region.

River levels are expected to peak over the coming days as excess water moves out towards the sea.

The cost of the flood damage could exceed $1bn (€0.76bn).

The flooding has caused evacuations from several towns in Queensland, and ABC News reports that residents have been airlifted out and a disaster has been declared in several areas. People are being urged to stay out of the water and emergency services have indicated that charges will be brought on anyone who is believed to have cause an unnecessary rescue.

Some residents told ABC News that although they were following advice to stock up ahead of the floods, they were caught out by the speed at which the water rose: