Rockhampton, Australia (CNN) -- River levels were slowly receding in eastern Australia on Friday, but officials warned residents to steer clear of roads damaged by devastating floods.
In Rockhampton -- one of the hardest hit cities -- the fast-flowing Fitzroy River remained near its recent peak of 9.2 meters (about 30 feet). With many major roads underwater, some residents holed up in homes surrounded by the deluge were still using boats to travel.
Government officials warned residents to avoid flooded areas.
"We are still seeing incidents of people driving through floodwaters, getting stuck and having to be rescued. We understand people feel confined and are increasingly frustrated at not being able to get from place to place easily, but I cannot stress enough how unsafe some road infrastructure is after being flooded for days," Queensland Acting Chief Superintendent Brian Codd said. CNN
