( CNN ) -- Massive flooding that has swept through Queensland , Australia , and claimed at least one life will likely force the evacuation of at least 1,000 people and close a regional airport for weeks , an emergency agency said Sunday . The flooding has directly impacted about 200,000 people , according to Emergency Management Queensland , and has affected an area roughly the size of the entire state of New South Wales . Rockhampton , Queensland , is the worst-hit major population center , the agency said . On Sunday , a spokesman for the agency said floodwater is receding in certain areas but is also flooding local towns as is recedes . He said electricity has been intentionally cut in areas of Queensland -- including parts of Rockhampton -- that have been inundated by flooding . Rockhampton 's regional airport closed Saturday afternoon and is expected to remain closed for the coming weeks , Emergency Management Queensland said Sunday . Meanwhile , other modes of transportation in the area were essentially reduced to boat travel , as all roads , major highways and the railway leading in and out of the city were flooded . A 41-year-old Queensland woman is the first confirmed fatality of the flooding . The woman , whose name was not released , was traveling with eight family members from Mount Isa to Burketown when the family 's vehicles were overrun by flood waters in the town of Floraville , Emergency Management Queensland said . After an air-and-boat search that lasted more than 12 hours , the woman 's body was recovered around 10 a.m. Sunday , about 2 kilometers ( 1.2 miles ) from the causeway where she had disappeared , the agency said . All other members of the family were rescued safely . Towns across the northeastern state have been flooded since monsoon rains about a week ago caused rivers to spill their banks and reach record levels . Prime Minister Julia Gillard toured the devastation on Friday and said the flooding in Queensland will cost `` hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars . '' Gillard traveled with Queensland Premier Anna Bligh through the sugar-producing town of Bundaberg , where flood waters reached 7.92 meters ( 26 feet ) Thursday . Emergency Management Queensland said about 1,000 people are expected to be evacuated from their homes in the coming days . The agency said some residents were able to leave on their own and move to higher ground before the severe flooding , heeding warnings from authorities . CNN 's Andreena Narayan contributed to this report .
NEW : Electricity is intentionally cut in parts of Queensland . Emergency agency : 200,000 people are directly impacted by flooding . Comment: Prime minister : Flooding will cost `` hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars ''