One drowned, ten missing in 400mm deluge as massive rainstorm turns deadly
A woman’s body has been found in a submerged car and another 10 people are missing after intense rainfall triggered flash floods in south-east Queensland.
A car attempts to leave their flooded property but turns around near Belli Creek, on the Sunshine Coast. (AAP Image/Jono Searle)
The 63-year-old’s body was found in the vehicle near Skyring Creek at Belli Park, west of Eumundi on the Sunshine Coast, just after 8am on Wednesday.
Emergency services received a report of a submerged vehicle around 4.45 am but were initially unable to gain access due to fast-rising floodwaters. They reached the Honda CRV just after 8am, police said in a statement.
“The sole passenger of the vehicle, a 63-year-old Belli Park woman, was located deceased inside the vehicle,” police said.
Sunshine Coast Police District Superintendent Craig Hawkins said another 10 people were unaccounted for in the Noosa Hinterland area and there was a search under way for a man whose motorcycle was found near Gympie.
“We are searching for some people at the moment, particularly again around that Belli Park area,” he said.
“We’re hopeful that it’ll be a good outcome, but certainly we are searching for some people that are outstanding.”
Swift water rescue teams had made 23 rescues in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie regions by 9am on Wednesday following 12 hours of intense rainfall.
Emergency alerts have also been sent to Gympie, Noosa and Sunshine Coast residents warning of flash flooding that may affect roads and bridges.
Seven schools are closed and buses are replacing trains services on the Sunshine Coast due to the severe weather.
A freight train derailed between Traveston and Cooran about 3.20am.
QR acting chief executive Scott Riedel said the driver, who was the only person aboard, was shaken but not injured.
“Queensland Rail will work with the relevant parties to investigate the incident,” Mr Riedel told AAP in a statement.
“We thank customers for their patience while we work to recover the site, assess and repair any damage, and monitor weather impacts before we allow services to safely resume.”
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a general flood warning for south-east Queensland after up to 408mm of rain was recorded in some areas, with more on the way.
The worst-hit areas are the Southeast Coast and the Wide Bay-Burnett region, including the Mary River, where major floods earlier this year killed three people and damaged dozens of homes and businesses.
The premier warned that up to a month’s rain could fall in some areas over Wednesday and Thursday.
“Since many catchments are now saturated, there is an increased risk of dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding over the coming days,” she said.
The Burnett, Burrum and Cherwell, Mary, Noosa, Pine, Caboolture, Brisbane, Logan and Albert, Condamine rivers are set to break their banks, as well as rivers and creeks on the Gold and Sunshine coasts.
Supt Hawkins urged people to reconsider their need to travel over the next 48 hours.
“We are making people well aware that a weather event is coming, we’ve seen the start of it we can see another two days of it,” he said.
Seqwater said emergency flood releases from the Somerset and North Pine dams were possible in the next 48 hours.
The Leslie Harrison, Lake Macdonald (Six Mile Creek), Poona, Ewen Maddock and Cooloolabin dams are already spilling.
The operator said outflows had also increased from the Baroon Pocket, Cedar Pocket and Wappa dams.
“If you are downstream of the dams, stay away from fast-flowing or deep water near waterways and floodplains,” Seqwater said in a statement.
Warning of further wild weather and urging caution, Palaszczuk said the driver of a freight train which overturned south of Gympie had been rescued with minor injuries.
She said there had been 27 swift water rescues since the deluge began, including in Cooroy, Kin Kin and Gympie.
Palaszczuk said she had received a briefing from the BOM and the heavy rainfall was expected to continue on Wednesday and intensify further on Thursday and “dangerous and life-threatening” events were expected over the coming days.
“Over the coming days some areas will see a months’ worth of rainfall … Please, I can’t stress this enough, don’t take any risks. Avoid unnecessary travel,” Palaszczuk said.
And she urged people living around creek areas to exercise caution.
Palasczcuk said that 15 dams were now at capacity and several were spilling.
The Bureau of Meteorology urged people to stay off the roads because of flash flooding and the prospect of more heavy falls to come.
Another 100 mm was expected to fall today in the south east, including Brisbane. Lighter falls were also predicted for areas around Toowoomba and Dalby today.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services rescued a couple from a tree after their car and caravan was washed away this morning at Mothar Mountain, east of Gympie.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Jonathan How says everyone needs to take care because conditions could become “quite treacherous”.
He said heavy rain is expected on Wednesday in southeast Queensland, including Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and will continue for the next few days.
“We could see up to a metre of rain for parts of southeast Queensland,” How told the Nine Network.
“It will be quite treacherous out there.”
BOM forecaster James Thompson said about 300mm had fallen in just six hours in the national parks, just east of Gympie.
“Hopefully there weren’t too many people in that area because [there was a] pretty scary amount of water falling from the sky and potential flash flooding,” he said.
Closer to the capital, 50mm fell at the airport overnight and 97mm at Mount Cotton.
Queensland Fire and Rescue state coordinator James Haig said there had been more than 30 call-outs for emergency crews and at least 17 swift water rescues throughout the night.
“We expect more [calls] to come through as people wake up,” Mr Haig told ABC Radio Brisbane.
“So far thankfully we’ve had no reports of any casualties – many of [the rescues] were able to be achieved fairly quickly.”
Parts of Nambour on the Sunshine Coast went underwater overnight with more than 210mm falling since 9am on Tuesday.(ABC photo: Justin Jones)
There had also been calls for help from people trapped by floodwaters. A train had also been derailed near Traveston.
Rain is expected to continue until Friday.
Meanwhile, Seqwater says water spills from the Somerset and North Pine dams are possible in the next 48 hours due to the heavy rain.
The Ewen Maddock Dam has already started spilling excess water.
BoM said flash flooding was already occurring and roads and bridges around the Sunshine Coast may be affected by flooding.
In the north of the state, the Government has extended disaster assistance to Carpentaria and Kowanyama following flooding in the New Year period.
Haig said multiple crews across the state were standing by and ready to face the expected deluges across south-east Queensland in the coming days.
A dozen of those were from people trapped in floodwaters near Gympie.
Emergency services have also attended a freight train derailment at Traveston.
Queensland Rail said buses were replacing trains on the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday morning due to the severe weather and after a freight train derailed between Traveston and Cooran about 3.20am.
QR Acting Chief Executive Scott Riedel said the driver, who was the only person aboard, was shaken but not injured.
“Queensland Rail will work with the relevant parties to investigate the incident,” Mr Riedel told AAP in a statement.
“We thank customers for their patience while we work to recover the site, assess and repair any damage, and monitor weather impacts before we allow services to safely resume.”
