Flood death has risen again to 15, while number of missing is now at 61

THE death toll in Queensland's flood disaster continues to rise, with confirmation of a 15th victim confirmed this afternoon.

ROO RESCUE: Raymond Cole entered the flood waters to rescue this kangaroo near One Mile Bridge in Ipswich. Picture: Nick De Villiers

THE death toll in Queensland's flood disaster continues to rise, with confirmation of a 15th victim confirmed this afternoon.

The body of a man was found in the Darling Downs region, near Dalby, west of Brisbane.

"Police have now discovered the body of a male person at Myall Creek,'' Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts told a media briefing.

Mr Roberts said the total number of people missing was 61, with grave fears for another 12.

Earlier on Thursday, Premier Anna Bligh announced the first fatality confirmed in Brisbane.

She said a 24-year-old man had been checking his father's inundated property in suburban Durack when he was sucked down a storm drain.

''He shouldn't have been in those waters, and unfortunately it's claimed his life,'' she told reporters.

"Please stay safe out there, it's a dangerous place right now.

"We've already had one death. Let's not see any more as a result of Brisbane's flooding.''

Ms Bligh warned people to obey closure signs because the situation was still very dangerous in and around the streets and suburbs of Brisbane and Ipswich.

"Underneath those floodwaters are rapidly moving dangerous, sharp objects. Walking through waters even only up to your ankles can mean that you'll be at risk of serious injury,'' she said.

"I do understand how keen everybody is to get back into their houses, to go out and have a look at what's happened to their neighbourhoods, (but) these are still rapidly moving, swirling, dangerous waters,'' the premier said.

The official death toll is expected to rise on Thursday as searchers finally reach small towns in the Lockyer Valley.

The 24-year-old was killed as he tried to check his father's property and was sucked into a storm water drain.

"It is still a very dangerous situation in the streets of Brisbane," she said.

The death toll from the state's flood disaster has now risen to 15.

Earlier, Ms Bligh shed tears after announcing the discovery of another body in a field on a farm near Grantham.

"Our condolences go to the family of another victim of the terrible floods in the Lockyer Valley,'' she said.

Ms Bligh said thousands in Brisbane, Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley this morning faced "unbelievable agony".

The Premier fought back tears as she called Queensland to arms.

"I want us to remember who we are," she said.

"We are Queenslanders.

"We are the people they breed tough north of the border.

"We're the ones that they knock down, and we get up again.

"In the coming weeks and months we are going to prove that beyond any doubt.

"Together we can pull through this and that's what I'm determined to do.

"With your help we can achieve that."

While there was some relief the Brisbane River peaked lower than expected, Ms Bligh warned the devastation could not be underestimated.

She also gave a strong message to the dozens of regional towns still reeling from the flood crisis right across the state.

"We will not forget you," she said.

Disaster recovery specialist Major General Mick Slater has been tasked with ensuring recovery across the state kept pace in spite of this week's new catastrophic flooding in and around the southeast.

Ms Bligh said she was talking to Prime Minister Julia Gillard about more resources to support Maj Gen Slater, given that the rebuilding task has risen so dramatically since Monday.

Ms Bligh also flagged major concerns for the towns of Condamine and Goondiwindi, where the rivers are still rising.

Authorities still hold grave fears for 12 people, most of them from two families, who are still missing in the Murphys Creek area west of Brisbane.

The body of a man in his 50s has been found in a car in floodwaters at Ipswich, though it has not yet been included in the official toll.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said the body was found in a car on Karrabin Rd in the suburb of Wulkuraka today.

"It appears the driver accidentally turned into floodwaters," Cr Pisasale said.

The man has not yet been added to the official southeast Queensland flood death toll as investigators have not yet established a cause of death.

Queensland State Disaster Coordinator, Deputy Police Commissioner Ian Stewart, said a total of 74 people had been reported missing and there were grave concerns for 12.

Queensland Fire and Rescue are currently searching for a man who disappeared into floodwaters along Sherbrook Rd at Willawong.

Authorities are currently on the scene and are utilising a helicopter and inflatable watercraft to search for the man.

The call came in just before 10am and the man has yet to be sighted by QFRS.

Of particular concern is the Murphys Creek area in the Lockyer Valley which was hit by the floodwaters earlier this week.

"Unfortunately, the sheer scale of this disaster in the Murphys Creek area would suggest to us that the people who are missing there - and there are two families who account for most of those 12 - they have not been located,'' Mr Stewart said.

"We hope we can determine what has happened to them today.''
 
He said searches were also continuing in the small towns of Grantham and Withcott.

"We've been able to search a large number of the homes there,'' he said.

"The problem we have is that the people have been washed out of their homes and some of the homes are actually destroyed, like bombs have gone off there.

"It's a war scene in the Lockyer Valley today.''

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