Emergency crews are involved in a rescue in rain-hit northern Tasmania, as residents from several towns prepare to evacuate due to flooding.
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Flood peaks in parts of the island state are tipped to be on par with flooding in 2016 that claimed the lives of three people and caused $180m in damage.
Prepare-to-evacuate warnings were in place on Thursday for an area in the northwest from Liena to Latrobe, plus the town of Railton, where some 90 homes were at risk of being hit by floodwaters.
Tasmania Police Assistant Commission Jonathan Higgins said a rescue was under way to the east at Liffey, where a vehicle was stuck at a property.
The state's north is on high alert for flash flooding, with heavy rain to continue throughout Thursday and into Friday morning.
Thursday's 24-hour totals are tipped to reach up to 120 millimetres in the north with isolated totals up to 200mm over higher terrain.
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More than 300mm is expected in inland parts of the northwest, which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding, particularly in the Western Tiers region.
"The flooding situation has escalated which has led to two emergency warnings," SES acting director Leon Smith told reporters.
"The message to the Tasmanian public is be vigilant."
Mr Smith said flood peaks could reach levels seen in the north in mid-2016, describing the situation as "very dynamic".
A severe weather warning is in place for half the state. Several rivers are subject to flood warnings, with the Mersey River the most severe.
Commercial operations at the port of Devonport have been suspended until Sunday due to expected flooding in Mersey River catchments.
The port closure prompted the cancellation of four Bass Strait crossings by the Spirit of Tasmania ferry.
Spirit of Tasmania chief executive Bernard Dwyer apologised for any inconvenience and said passengers would be re-booked on the next available sailing or fully refunded.
He said additional day sailings would be scheduled.
Several evacuation centres have been set up and many roads have been closed.
Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson said he was concerned about the potential for flooding and urged people to listen carefully to alerts.
Southwest Tasmania is forecast to receive 30 to 60mm, with 15 to 30mm tipped in the southeast, including Hobart.
The wild weather has left hundreds of people in the northwest without power.
Australian Associated Press
