A flood emergency is unfolding across the state’s north, with evacuation orders for large parts of Townsville overnight as heavy rainfall triggered dangerous flash flooding.

Residents in Cluden, Hermit Park, Idalia, Oonoonba, Railway Estate and Rosslea have been warned to leave by 12pm today.

Authorities were out early knocking on doors and asking homeowners to gather their loved ones and belongings and leave before it is too late.

Officials have also asked residents not to wait for the knock on their door to leave.

“Residents in the black zone must evacuate by 12 noon tomorrow,” Townsville Local Disaster Management Group Chair Andrew Robinson said yesterday.

Single storey homes are most at risk, while flooding could reach second storey floors, rescue crews have warned.

Ingham Pump Station is forecast to reach 15m later today.

The 1967 floods peaked at 15.2m, Queensland Police said.

There have been rescues overnight in Ingham, around an hour out of Townsville helping several families evacuate their homes.

An evacuation centre has been set up at Heatley Secondary College at 321 Fulham Road in Heatley and a second has been set up at Townsville Sports Precinct at 24 Burke Street in North Ward, however only animals are being accepted at the second location.

Damaging wind gusts of up to 100km an hour across Townsville and much of North Queensland has made rescue missions and evacuations difficult.

The Bureau of Meterology issued a gale warning for the coast of Townsville and Cairns while more strong winds are forecast for Mackay today.

The bureau has warned there is potential for more intense rainfall over the state’s north into next week.

Major flood warnings were issued for several rivers around Queensland including: