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Grim satellite image shows the scale of flooding across Queensland

Source: Daily Mail Online

Floodwaters ravaging thousands of kilometres of outback Queensland has spread into a second state as a new satellite image captures the extensive damage.

Heavy rain battered western and inland areas of the state over the last fortnight causing three rural communities to evacuate their homes with some isolated areas drenched with almost a year's worth of rain.

NASA's Earth Observatory captured images of the state's flooded landscape in Channel Country as the skies cleared on Thursday.

The satellite uses false colours to enhance floodwaters by making water on the ground appear blue and sediment-heavy water darker blue.

It comes as the Bureau of Meteorology revealed that widespread flooding will linger for several weeks in some areas due to water saturation.

'If the water was just going to go away, where would it go to?' the Bureau's Miriam Bradbury said.

'A portion soaks into the ground and a portion moves into our river systems.'

But Ms Bradbury told Daily Mail Australia on Friday the ground in flooded areas of southwest Queensland has become 'so saturated, it cannot absorb anymore'.

A side effect of the saturation is that floodwaters have started trickling down into New South Wales, causing flood warnings in the northern area of the state.

Rainwater flows into creeks, streams and rivers before moving to northern NSW where communities are still being drenched by more rain.

The state is 'getting it from all angles', Ms Bradbury said.

'Some of the flooding is driven by rain in some of those areas, but some at Warrego River has flowed down from Queensland areas,' she said.

She said the extent of the flooding 'remains to be seen' over the next few weeks.

The Bureau said heavy rainfall has eased across southern Queensland with a weak trough to linger in central and northern areas on Friday before moving north.

But with flooding set to last for weeks and rivers expected to remain high, locals have been heavily impacted by the ongoing deluge.

It comes after a man and his horse were rescued by police and emergency services from floodwaters at the rural town of Tambo on Wednesday.

Shortly before 5.30am, the 31-year-old was travelling from his home in Blackall to Toowoomba to get surgery for his wounded horse.

Queensland Police said the man was unable to see the flooded creek and was immediately swept off the roadway along with his horse.

The driver climbed on top of the roof of his 4WD until emergency services arrived a short time later.

Longreach Disaster Coordinator Inspector Chris Smith said the incident is another reminder to be vigilant during severe weather.

'When it is dark, it is often difficult to see that a road could potentially be hazardous. No matter how shallow it may look, it's not worth risking your life or the lives of emergency services who rescue you,' he said.

'It may seem like an inconvenience, but by taking the time you need to seek alternate routes, it may just save your life.'

Police said 27 residents were evacuated from Adavale and a number of people were relocated from Jundah and Thargomindah.

A home is surrounded by floodwaters near the town of Jundah in Queensland's southwest

The extent of the flooding 'remains to be seen' over the next few weeks

Queensland Police said about 27 people were evacuated from Adavale, and a number of people were relocated from Jundah and Thargomindah

Flooded roads and homes are seen in Thargomindah in Queensland's southwest

Heavy rainfall has eased across southern Queensland but flooding is expected to linger for weeks, according to the Bureau of Meteorology

Flooded homes are seen in Thargomindah in Queensland's southwest on Thursday

Heavy rain battered western and inland Queensland in the last fortnight causing some communities to evacuate (SES crews are seen on floodwaters)