Man dead, motorists swept from roads after monster low hits 1000km stretch of Qld
A low pressure system that unleashed over southern Queensland, causing the death of one man and a series of rescues amid rising floodwaters, has pushed north. It comes as the Splendour in the Grass festival just south of the border descended into muddy chaos.
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A low pressure system that unleashed over southern Queensland and south of the border has pushed north in a welcome relief for Splendour in the Grass punters and festival organisers.
The weather bureau predicted falls of 1-5mm for Saturday as the “tail end” of the system pushed past Fraser Island.
The popular festival descended into chaos on Friday, with headliner acts like the Gorillaz, DMA’S, Baker Boy and The Avalanches cancelled and campers turned away.
Contrary to Friday’s soggy conditions, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Brooke Pagel said there was no heavy rain on the cards for the weekend.
“They (Byron) may get a bit of rainfall but it’s just the tail end of the system. Looking at totals of about 5mm, maybe heavier pockets of rain here and there,” Ms Pagel said.
Similar conditions are expected across southeast Queensland in a stark contrast from Friday’s rapid downpours that caused flash flooding and cost a Nanango man his life.
The 47-year-old died after his car was washed away in the same floodwaters that forced the evacuation of 11 guests of a Nanango caravan park.
At least 10 other cars were swept off flooded roads, sparking a series of swiftwater rescues.
The huge low pressure system smashed a 1000km stretch of the east coast with gale-force winds and torrential rain and huge seas that saw beaches closed.
As the system weakened, a vehicle was washed away at Stanmore about 6.30am on Saturday, with rescue crews called to the scene.
It’s understood the driver of the vehicle was accounted for.
Ms Pagel said Gin Gin copped 86mm over the 24 hours to Saturday morning with significant falls in the Gladstone and Bundaberg regions, while parts of the Sunshine Coast like Eumundi,
Warnings remain active on Saturday morning for gusty winds and large waves along the southern coastline.
Significant wave heights exceeding 4 metres from an east to south-easterly direction are expected.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS
Locations which may be affected include Gold Coast, Coolangatta, Maroochydore, Noosa Heads, Caloundra, Rainbow Beach, K’gari (Fraser Island), Moreton Island, North Stradbroke Island, and Bribie Island.
A number of people were pulled to safety on the Sunshine Coast after a car entered a flooded causeway at Yandina on Friday morning.
There were no injuries and crews were able to walk the car’s occupants to safety.
The Sunshine Coast hinterland copped the highest rainfall totals, with more than 141mm at Maleny since 9am Thursday.
Other nearby locations received around 100-120mm
On the border, 111mm fell at Springbrook.
The state’s highest recorded wind gust of 131km/h was recorded at Frederick Reef, about 410km northeast of Gladstone.
Water was yesterday being released from a number of dams, including Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine, resulting in a number of local road closures due to flooding.
Boaties have been told to stay out of the water, with 5m waves recorded at the Brisbane offshore buoy and most beaches in southeast Queensland closed until at least Sunday.
The Mary River at Gympie was likely to exceed the minor flood level of 6m overnight. Minor flooding is also possible at Miva on Saturday night and Tiaro on Sunday morning.
The weather bomb extended south of the border, obliterating the famous Splendour in the Grass music festival near Byron Bay.
Thousands of revellers were left wallowing in knee-deep mud and flooded campsites as organisers were forced to cancel Friday’s line-up of world-class acts on the festival’s main entertainment stages. Organisers are hopeful of resuming the program on Saturday in the festival’s first appearance in three years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
There are fears the festival could cause a Covid wave of its own this weekend, with thousands of punters from across the country crammed into the mud-soaked North Byron Parklands.
After mayhem on Thursday night that saw hundreds of festivalgoers queue for hours trying to access flooded campsites, organisers made the call to cancel performances from acts including international headliners Gorillaz.
The Strokes and former Oasis legend Liam Gallagher are scheduled to take to the stage over the weekend with organisers hopeful a more promising forecast will allow the rest of the bill to proceed as scheduled.
The deluge triggered horrific memories for many in northern NSW who are still struggling to pick up the pieces of the devastating floods seen earlier this year.
Festivalgoers who took to social media to lament being forced to sleep in their car were lambasted by some comments reminding them that there are still people in the region with no homes after this year’s floods which destroyed parts of Lismore, Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah and other northern NSW communities.
The rain is expected to ease across the region on Saturday before clearing Sunday, but strong winds and huge waves are to lash the coastline from Gladstone to northern NSW in coming days.
FLOOD WARNINGS
- Minor Flood Warning for the Mary River
- Minor Flood Warning for the Stanley River and Flood Warning for the upper Brisbane River
- Initial Minor Flood Warning for Charleys Creek
- Initial Minor Flood Warning for the Burnett River
- Initial Minor Flood Warning for the Upper Dawson River
- Initial Moderate Flood Warning for the Kolan River and Baffle Creek
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