Australia floods to peak

Residents in the city of Rockhampton in Queensland are preparing themselves for floodwaters to peak.

More than a week of pounding rains has left much of north eastern Australia under a sea of muddy water that is making its way through river systems towards the ocean.

The swollen Fitzroy River was expected to reach the second-highest level on record Wednesday in the largest affected community of Rockhampton before finally beginning to subside.

Up to 500 people who live along the river have evacuated their homes. Air and rail links to the city of 75,000 people were cut and only one main road remained open.

Another problem for residents have been snakes and Rockhampton residents have reported seeing higher than usual numbers of them, as the animals search for dry ground.

One resident said: "There's a lot of snakes and I mean a lot, like every hundred yards you will see a snake. They're just everywhere."