Missing man found dead in Nanango floodwaters as emergency alert declared for South Burnett

A South Burnett man has been confirmed dead after his car was washed away by raging waters in Nanango, as a flood emergency unleashes chaos across the region. Full details:

A 47-year-old Nanango man has been confirmed dead after his car was washed away by raging waters, as a flood emergency unleashes chaos in the South Burnett region.

Queensland Police Inspector Scott Stahlhut confirmed the death on Friday afternoon, saying police discovered the man’s body near Sandy Creek bridge in Nanango earlier that day.

“We currently have officers from the dive squad on the way to Nanango to assist us with our inquiries,” he said.

“A number of roads have been cut, including the Burnett Highway which is now open.”

Police and SES crews set up a tent on the banks of Sandy Creek, at the D'Aguilar Hwy where the man’s body is believed to have been found. Picture: Dominic Elsome

Rescue crews discovered the body at 8.15am after reports of a car being swept into floodwaters about 5.30am on Brown Street, near Twin Gums Caravan Park.

Police divers are at the scene and are continuing to search for the man’s vehicle in the swollen creek.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

The man’s vehicle was just one of eight swept into floodwaters across the South Burnett, with fire and rescue crews also called out to Kingaroy, Nanango, Inverlaw, Taabinga, and Brooklands overnight.

An emergency alert has been issued for the South Burnett after a huge overnight deluge caused flash flooding across the region.

South Burnett Regional Council has established an evacuation centre at the Nanango Cultural Centre on Drayton Street.

A South Burnett Local Disaster Management Group spokesman said rainfall totals between 50mm and 110mm have been reported in and around Nanango, Kingaroy, and North West through to Proston, with a further 20mm to 40mm predicted over the next three hours.

Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Brook Pagel said Nanango was bucketed with 79mm in just a matter of hours overnight, with Kingaroy recording another 78mm and Brooklands a hefty 52mm.

Ms Pagel said forecasts had predicted heavy rain in parts of the state’s southeast from Thursday night into Friday, with the South Burnett bearing the brunt of the massive weather system.

“The east coast lows work dynamically so it’s difficult to predict exactly where the heaviest rain will fall,” she said.

She said the rain across the region was expected to ease by this evening.