Forget the massive destruction caused by cane toads, rabbits, feral cats, wild horses and pigs. Tiny red ants moving out of south-east Queensland will become Australia's worst invasive pest if the marauding colonies are not eradicated, a report has warned.

According to the strategy paper prepared for government about the pests, if the vicious biting red fire ants infest the whole country, one in three Australians, or 8.3 million people, would be painfully stung every year, with 83,100 victims needing medical attention.

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Those numbers, the paper warned, are a "conservative" estimate. 

The ants have an intense bite which can kill small animals and cause a deadly anaphylactic reactions in some humans.

They also devastate crops and ecosystems, and colonies will travel serious distances every year if left unchecked.

Described as super pests, the ant originates in South America but has spread globally. It has no native predator in Australia.

First detected in south-east Queensland around 2001, after a suspected arrival at the Port of Brisbane, a two-decade effort to contain the ants appears on the brink of failure.

Are you affected? Do you know more? Email ms**********@******om.au

This lunar phenomenon only happens once every two or three years – which is why the phrase "once in a blue moon" means something that happens infrequently – but when it does, it dazzles.

The victim of a peak hour road rage incident in Adelaide has spoken out after the incident was captured on camera.

One woman shocked drivers as she first tried to rip off the wing mirror of another car before kicking it off at traffic lights on Main North Road in Elizabeth Grove.

The woman then used the piece of the car to smash the window, leaving driver Belinda Reynolds with cuts and bruises on her face and hands as she made her way home from work.

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"I said to her 'stop, what are you doing? Please stop what you're doing. Why? I'm petrified'," Reynolds told 9News.

"I didn't know why she was so angry or angry at what, you know, and when the glass smashed, that's when I panicked."

The force of the wing mirror being used as a weapon left both the driver's side and passenger's side windows shattered.

And the victim is now having to fork out the cost of both with no arrests made as yet.

Police are investigating.

Hurricane Idalia has been linked to at least two deaths in Florida as it thrashes northern parts of the state and south Georgia – whipping winds up to 145km/h, dumping heavy rain and hurling seawater into flooded cities.

Several major bridges connecting Florida islands to the mainland are now inaccessible as Idalia's violent trek across the state now threatens coastal Georgia and South Carolina with intense flooding, ferocious winds and tornadoes.

The massive storm now lashes a 405-mile swath of the Southeast.

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At least two men were killed in separate, weather-related car crashes on Wednesday, Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Steve Gaskins said. Their deaths mark the first reported fatalities linked to Hurricane Idalia.

Idalia slammed Florida's Big Bend area – the nook between the panhandle and peninsula – near Keaton Beach on Wednesday morning (10pm AEST) at a dangerous Category 3 strength.

That part of the Gulf Coast hasn't seen such deadly storm surge and wind gust for at least 125 years.

In the vulnerable island city of Cedar Key, a water level record was shattered amid 8 to 9 feet of storm surge. And the water was still rising fast – predicted to hurl seawater as high as halfway up the second floor of an average building.

Water levels on the Steinhatchee River in the Big Bend town of the same name rose more than 9 feet (2,7m) in about two hours on Wednesday morning, reaching more than 8 feet (2.4m) higher than the normal highest tides and breaking – by a foot – the record set during Hurricane Hermine in 2016.

Swaths of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Fort Myers Beach also have been engulfed by wind-whipped seawater and torrential rain.

Then there's the looming threat of a massive "king tide." Officials in western Florida warned residents not to get a false sense of security as the hurricane slowly pulls away.

"We fear that residents will walk outside, see it's sunny outside and think everything's fine. But there's more water coming," warned Rob Herrin, spokesperson for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.

"There's still so many hazards after the winds and rains have cleared."

'We're effectively cut off from the world now'

Even before landfall, Cedar Key looked "almost apocalyptic," resident Michael Bobbitt said early on Wednesday. Hours later, the disastrous storm surge had overwhelmed it.

"We're effectively cut off from the world now," Bobbit said. "It's going to get a lot worse, and I'm really fearful for what we're going to find in some of the low-lying areas and some of our older, more infirm citizens today."

Storm surge accounts for about half of all hurricane-related deaths, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

Meanwhile, a tornado watch is in place for nearly 12 million people across central and northern Florida and southeast Georgia until 3pm Wednesday.

And destruction is possible far behind Idalia's forecast cone, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Wednesday morning.

At least 11 tornado warnings already had been issued, with more possible – even in places "way outside the cone that you see on your TV screens," he said.

Here are other developments around the state:

• Air travel halted: Hundreds of flights have been cancelled as Tampa International Airport suspended commercial operations and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport Terminal building closed Tuesday.

• Bridges are shut down: Major bridges connecting St. Petersburg to mainland Florida have been closed, according to online data from the Florida Department of Transportation. Road access to smaller barrier islands also is closed, Pinellas County Emergency Management said on X, formerly Twitter.

• Flash flooding expected in Georgia: A flash flood emergency has been issued for Brooks and Lowndes counties – including the city of Valdosta – until 12:45pm ET. Between 3 to 6 inches of rain have already fallen in the area due to Idalia, and another 1 to 2 inches are possible this afternoon and evening.

• Evacuations in at least 28 counties: Alachua, Baker, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Pasco, Pinellas, Putnam, Sarasota, Suwannee, Sumter, Taylor, Union, Volusia and Wakulla have all issued evacuation orders, some mandatory. An emergency declaration covers 49 of 67 Florida counties.

• Power knocked out: Nearly 270,000 homes, businesses and other power customers in Florida and nearly 40,000 in Georgia had no electricity around 11am Wednesday, according to PowerOutage.com.

• Thousands in shelters: About 4,500 people are taking refuge in shelters in the impact area, Red Cross data Wednesday shows. The most people – 442 – were at a site in Largo, Florida, with more than 100 shelters open across the storm's path, the aid group said.

• Officials prepare to respond: President Joe Biden will address the government response to the hurricane Wednesday afternoon, a White House official said. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has supplies and teams on standby, including urban search and rescue teams, to assist with the response as soon as the storm passes, the official said. At least eight urban search-and-rescue teams, 33 ambulance strike teams and 5,500 National Guard members are ready, and the Coast Guard is on standby, officials said Wednesday morning.

• Hospitals suspend services: Patients were being transferred from at least three hospitals: HCA Florida Pasadena Hospital, HCA Florida Trinity West Hospital and HCA Florida West Tampa Hospital. Meanwhile, Tampa General Hospital was constructing a water-impermeable barrier to remain open for emergency care.

• Schools and universities close: 50 county school districts have issued closures, as did dozens of college and university systems across Florida.

• Thousands of inmates evacuated: Roughly 4,000 inmates were evacuated or relocated to facilities better equipped to handle the storm, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

What's coming after landfall

Damaging winds and heavy rain now will spread far inland into Florida, parts of Georgia and even the Carolinas. Idalia's centre is forecast to move near or along the coasts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina late Wednesday and Thursday, the hurricane center said.

"Idalia is likely to still be a hurricane while moving across southern Georgia, and possibly when it reaches the coast of Georgia or southern South Carolina late today," the hurricane center said Wednesday morning.

North Carolina and Georgia have also declared states of emergency as they prepare for floods and hurricane force winds.

In Florida, Tallahassee and Gainesville will likely continue to experience hurricane conditions through Wednesday, with heavy rain, flooding and winds gusting over 80km/h. Gainesville could also see tornadoes.

In Georgia, Savannah is likely to see tropical storm conditions through Wednesday night, with flooding and storm surge between 3 and 5 feet and possible tornadoes. The storm's outer bands could hit Atlanta with thunderstorms and winds up to 32km/h.

Charleston, South Carolina, into early Thursday could see tropical storm conditions, including heavy rain, flooding, tornadoes and storm surge of 3 to 5 feet.

And in Wilmington, North Carolina, tropical storm conditions are possible into Thursday, with heavy rain, flooding and storm surge of 1 to 3 feet.

Zoran Pandilovski abused his childhood sweetheart Elaine for two decades before he strangled her inside her home.

Their relationship was marred by Pandilovski's repeated infidelity, gambling and alcohol issues.

In 1999, the year they got engaged, he was convicted for criminal damage of a car while Elaine and her sister were seated inside it.

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Twenty years later, Elaine reported her husband's violent behaviour to police and he moved out of the family home.

In the following months, she saw an improvement in Pandilovski's behaviour and allowed him to visit for lunches and dinners with their son.

Pandilovski told a mutual friend he was hopeful of a reconciliation, but Elaine told the same friend that was not going to happen.

On July 14, 2020, while their 12-year-old son was staying with his grandmother, Pandilovski went over to Elaine's Mill Park home and choked her to death.

Clutching a photo of Elaine, her family called for an end to violence against women outside the Supreme Court, as Pandilovski was jailed for at least 17 years on Wednesday.

"After three years, one month and 16 days, we can finally lay her to rest," Elaine's aunt Mary Yoannidis said.

"She didn't deserve this – no woman deserves being put through this."

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Her mother Kathy Dafopoulos said the family had been "through hell and back" and Pandilovski deserved what he got.

"I wish it was life in jail," she said.

Elaine's best friend Carolyn Stamp said more needed to be done to stop men killing former or current partners.

"We need justice served for men killing women," she said.

"Since Elaine has died there have been so many after her and there will continue to be more unless something is done."

After strangling Elaine, Pandilovski hid her in a basement storage room and took two photos of her lifeless body.

He did not call triple zero and instead took her phone with him and drove down the Western Ring Road, where he veered into an oncoming car and injured two people.

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When the 44-year-old woman failed to show up at work that day, friends and family went to her home to look for her.

They frantically searched the house three times, before police confirmed their fears and found her body that evening.

"The way she died would have been terrifying," Justice Christopher Beale told the court.

"Not only did you cut short her life, but you have also visited great suffering and loss on her loved ones."

A jury was about to be empanelled for Pandilovski's trial in April, when his lawyers said he would admit the murder.

Beale said the 48-year-old's change of plea had spared Elaine's family the ordeal of having to testify at a trial and found he was remorseful for the killing.

He said Pandilovski had reasonable rehabilitation prospects and would suffer hardship in prison after losing his relationship with his son.

Pandilovski was handed a maximum 24-year prison term.

He has already served three years of that sentence and will be eligible for parole in 2037.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

A total of 59 cars were stolen over one weekend in Christchurch earlier this month.

Tributes are flowing for a 58-year-old Melbourne traffic controller who went to work last night but never made it home.

Peter Dyck was working outside his ute on the Eastern Freeway in Clifton Hill just after midnight when he was allegedly hit by a driver.

The Australian Workers' Union's Jade Campbell told media today the father's death was "completely avoidable".

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The father from Boronia was taken to hospital but later died.

The incident occurred just as the speed limit changed from 60km/h to 100km/h.

Campbell said safety standards for traffic controllers needed to be improved.

She said traffic controllers were some of the most vulnerable workers on the road, with near-misses happening daily.

"They (are) the first ones to set up and the last ones to leave. They are the least paid person on (a site) and they have the hardest job out there," Campbell said.

"They have to make sure everyone is safe but they are the closest to death.

"I was previously a traffic controller for many years and there wasn't a day that didn't go by where I was nearly killed."

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Campbell questioned why the man appeared to working alone in "dangerous" conditions.

"He was at the entry of a freeway, he should have had a truck mounted attenuator, he shouldn't have been in a ute," she said.

"It should have not happened, every single one of the deaths we have had in traffic management is avoidable and yet it was still happening.

"He should have had a complete team. As far as I know, there wasn't much there."

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Senior Sergeant Christian von Tunk told 3AW the vehicle had lost control and struck the barrier several times.

The driver of the Toyota coupe, a 27-year-old man from North Melbourne, was also hospitalised.

Von Tunk confirmed the driver had undergone drug and alcohol testing, but said early investigations suggested drugs and alcohol were not a factor.

"As he lost control he's unfortunately collected a roadworker who was inspecting a light pole there on the left-hand side," Tunk said.

The outbound lanes of the Eastern Freeway have since re-opened under Hoddle Street.

The driver is assisting police with their investigations.

University of Otago professor of geology James Scott says meteor was travelling 12km/s.

Hawke’s Bay family lost everything in the cyclone.

A home in Sydney's eastern suburbs has been struck by lightning as storms roll across the city.

Emergency services were called to the property in Maroubra at 5.30pm this afternoon.

Resident Simon Hodge was at home when he heard a bang followed by a knock on the door.

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"The biggest bang I've ever heard in my life, just scared the bejesus out of me," he said.

"Next thing I know, someone was banging on the door saying lightning struck the building and there's smoke coming out of it."

Firefighters and ambulance crews attended the scene.

It comes as Australia's east coast is experiencing storms, with the potential for large hail and damaging winds across parts of New South Wales and Queensland.

An estimated 10,000 lightning bolts lit up Sydney's skies today.

Residents in the two states woke up to relatively dry and clear before the weather system brought showers and storm clouds to the skies by mid-afternoon.

"They're bringing hail and they're bringing strong winds throughout much of south-eastern Queensland and the northeast of New South Wales," Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said.

The system moved through Campbelltown in Sydney's south-west and circled in the inner city late this afternoon.

Heavy hail hit multiple areas in NSW including Murwillumbah on the North Coast, Parkes in the Central West and the Southern Highlands south-west of Sydney.

A severe thunderstorm warning is in place for the north-eastern corner of NSW near the Northern Rivers area.

"In particular, we're watching closely for hail and wind," Hines said.

"However, when thunderstorms are involved, things do move very, very quickly.

"Chances are throughout this afternoon we could well add further warning areas and modify existing warning areas as we track the movement and intensity of these developing storms."

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Severe storms have been downgraded in Queensland with the exception of one nasty storm cell Maleny.

There are widespread storms in the Sunshine Coast hinterland extending down to the area north of Brisbane.

The Gold Coast is expected to experience storms within the next couple of hours.