A woman has died after an emergency services boat flipped in floodwater in north Queensland as Townsville residents evacuate.

The Townsville Local Disaster Management Group is advising that residents at Cluden, Hermit Park, Idalia, Oonoonba, Railway Estate and Rosslea must prepare to leave.

Evacuation warnings are active in northern Queensland as authorities fear of dangerous flooding. Six suburbs in Townsville were affected after the area experienced more than 24 hours of intense rain.

Thousands of Townsville residents are being urged to prepare to leave their homes as the flood threat intensifies in North Queensland. Torrential rain is expected to continue until at least Monday, with potentially life-threatening flooding set to persist for many days.