A makeshift levee is holding in the southern Queensland town of St George as floodwaters continue to slowly rise.

The Balonne River had reached 13.85 metres by 4:00am (AEST) and was still creeping towards a predicted peak of around 14 metres – perilously close to the height of the town’s 14.5 metre dirt levee.

Senior hydrologist Chris Leahy says the river should reach its peak later today.

Several thousand of the town’s residents who were ordered to evacuate their homes on Sunday are anxiously awaiting the peak as they shelter in evacuation centres in Dalby and Brisbane.

Around 400 people ignored the mandatory evacuation and stayed in their homes and this morning parts of their town are awash with 30 homes outside the flood levee inundated.

Everyone’s hopes are resting on the dirt levee, hastily built yesterday, and running four kilometres along the northern edge of the town.

Weatherzone