Drunk driver rescued

A drunk driver has been rescued from floodwaters at Doonan, while two cars have run into a landslip at Black Mountain.

Boreen Point Caravan Park permanent resident Steve Prior watches his home going under water this afternoon. Photo: John McCutcheon.

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Two cars collided with a landslip on the Bruce Highway at Black Mountain, near Cooroy late this afternoon.

Daily reporter Alan Lander said the landslip was about the size of a car, about 300 metres past the Cooroy turn-off.

There were no serious injuries but police were called in to close the section of the highway. A backhoe was being brought in to remove the debris.

At Beddington Road, near Doonan, police have called in a breathtest operator after a driver rescued from a ute in floodwaters was allegedly drunk.

Tonight, Noosa residents on the river were playing watch and wait with the rising river but so far it was only an inch or two over Hilton Esplanade.

Earlier, a powerful stormwater has disintegrated part of the David Low Way at Sunshine Beach, raising fears it could collapse if traffic continued to travel on it.

A section of the road has been closed after rushing water caused deterioration of the road shoulders, known as scouring, at the pedestrian underpass just north of Burgess Creek bridge.

Narelle Reid, manager of works administration for Noosa Council, said the situation was a potential disaster.

“The storm water has seriously undermined the road and it will be closed until further notice,” she said.

“This is a major issue and we can’t afford to take any risks. Remediation work is likely to go on, at least over the weekend.”

Ms Reid said anyone who lived south of Sunrise Beach or at Castaways and Peregian Beach areas, would need to travel by Eumundi Road, Walter Hay Drive or the Sunshine Motorway, where it comes out a Peregian Springs, then travel back north through Peregian to get home.

Noosa Council disaster co-ordinator Ron Thomas said there was a possibility the road could collapse if traffic continued to travel on it.

“You can see right down to the pedestrian walkway. There is a chance that the road could collapse, but we think the walkway culvert is holding it up. Even so we need to keep traffic off the road.”

At 3.40pm, Hilton Terrace at Noosaville was too flooded for traffic to pass through safely. It was closed between Ernest Street and Noosa Harbour.

Disaster experts fear the Coast is facing a carbon copy of the 1992 floods, with Noosa preparing evacuation plans for residents.

Veteran councillor Ray Kelly said the similarities with the February 1992 floods were eerie with homes and businesses around the Noosa River expected to come under the biggest threat tonight.

The high tide is expected at about 5pm at Noosa Heads with the full impact at Noosaville/Tewantin expected about 7pm.

The latest advice from the Bureau of Meterology is that river flooding is expected to be a moderate to 1.3 metres - less than the 1992 flood at 1.8 metres.

Mayor Bob Abbot has urged motorists to avoid the Noosaville area for 48 hours, as the flood peak will be tomorrow at approximately 6pm to 7pm.

“The problem will be high tide, the storm surge and the effect of 700mm in the upper reaches of the Noosa River converging, and this is not predictable,” he said.

“Motorists are urged to avoid travel and to listen to the radio and television for further updates. Even though there may be a drop in precipitation levels, the runoff from upstream tributaries, high tide and the storm surge on Saturday night will cause flooding of the Noosa River.”

“If you need to evacuate, please go to family or friends. If you do not have anywhere to go, please call 5449 5200 and listen to the prompts for the nearest evacuation centre.”

Mr Kelly, the deputy chair of the counter disaster committee, said an evacuation plan was in place but he hoped only a small number of homes around Boreen Point and businesses in the Tewantin and Noosaville area would have to be abandoned.

With high tide later this afternoon, Mr Kelly said it would be around 7pm that the biggest river surge would happen.

In latest flood update, Noosa Council has advised the David Low Way at Sunrise Beach (north of Burgess Creek Bridge) will be closed to all traffic by 4pm today.

The alternative route is via Eumundi Road/Walter Hay Drive/Sunshine Motorway.

The council has also advised has closed Hilton Terrace and Weyba Road.

Rainbow Beach has received a record 713mm of rain, almost as much as the 732mm of rain which Tewantin received in the February, 1992 floods.

"This is very similar to what we had back in '92,'' Mr Kelly said.

But he said since the 1992 floods some of the Tewantin area had been built up with residential homes replaced by commercial premises on higher ground.

He said the counter-disaster committee, including representatives of police, SES, surf lifesaving clubs and the council, was meeting this afternoon to map out their response.

"We are trying to predict with the information we have some of the flood heights we expect,'' Mr Kelly said.

Since the 1992 floods, sophisticated monitoring equipment has been installed in the Lake Cooroibah, Lake Cootharaba, at Tewantin and the Noosa River mouth to feed through river levels in real time to the council.

Mr Kelly and Noosa mayor Bob Abbot have urged residents to stay in their homes and continue to monitor the radio and this website for updates on the situation.

Mr Kelly said already SES volunteers had to rescue dozens of people, mainly from flooded cars, and they were putting their lives on the line each time.

He said exhausted crews were being given some time off after working for the past two days. They are being replaced by volunteers from Brisbane.

Sunshine Coast 1992 floods

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Originally published as Drunk driver rescued