Qld weather: Rescues, emergency alert after slow-moving storms spark flash flooding in South Burnett
A ‘watch and act’ emergency alert was issued for parts of the South Burnett late on Friday night after slow-moving storms sparked flash flooding and a number of rescues.
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A ‘watch and act’ emergency alert was issued for parts of the South Burnett late on Friday night after slow-moving storms sparked flash flooding and a number of rescues.
Emergency crews were called out when a number of people were trapped in their cars by flood water.
Three people - two adults and a child - were pulled from floodwaters after their car became stranded on Elbow Rd in Merlwood, north of Kingaroy. Another person was also rescued from their car after the road they were driving on in Wondai became flooded.
Queensland Fire Department was working with Council to have roads closed.
The South Burnett Regional Council issued a ‘watch and act’ emergency alert just after 9pm.
People were urged to stay off the roads after intense rainfall in the area. More than 40 roads were closed across the district.
Other areas were also hammered with rain, with close to 100mm in an hour in some places.
Storms fired up late on Friday afternoon with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing storm warnings for the Southern Downs, Toowoomba, Ipswich, the Scenic Rim and Lockyer Valley council areas.
The Bureau said 91mm was recorded at Rockside Mountain Rd near Laidley in 60 minutes to 5.45pm, 87mm at Mulgowie Rd in the hour to 5.29pm and 82mm at McGarrigal Rd in the hour to 5.24pm.
Meanwhile, the threat of severe storms was continuing in parts of Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, Herbert and Lower Burdekin, Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett, Darling Downs and Granite Belt and Southeast Coast Forecast Districts, the Bureau said.
A total of 95mm of rain was recorded at South Kariboe Creek in the two hours before 3.36pm; 81mm was recorded at Canann Creek in the 2 hours to 2.55pm. St Kilda (inland of Bundaberg) had 71mm across an hour to 3.45pm, while Nearum Rd had 57mm in 30 minutes to 3.29pm.
Earlier Seqwater also sent an alert to the public, warning flood gates for major dams are possible to open in the coming days.
“The Seqwater Flood Operations Centre is at alert due to forecast rainfall. Flood releases from Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine Dams are possible,” the warning said.
“The Flood Operations Centre is closely monitoring dam levels, rainfall and inflows into the dams.”
Several ungated dams including Cedar Pocket Dam, Ewen Maddock Dam, Little Nerang Dam, Sideling Creek Dam and Wappa Dam are spilling excess water due to recent rain in the area.
The authority advised to stay away from any fast flowing or deep water near waterways downstream of the dams.
Earlier on Friday Higgins Storm Chasing posted photos to social media of water spouts reported near Eurong Beach at K’Gari.
Were there power outages?
About 3500 households were without power in regional Queensland, following the severe storms on Thursday night.
Ergon Energy Network said the storms that ripped through the area overnight had caused major damage to the local electricity network.
“Massive trees have brought down a number of power lines across the area which will take some time to fix, with crews also battling difficult terrain to complete the repairs,” a spokesman said.
“Ergon Energy has a chopper in the air this morning assessing the damage to the network and additional crews from nearby depots are en route to assist our local teams.
“Due to the extent of the damage, power is not likely to be restored to the majority of customers until at least late this afternoon.
“Our crews appreciate your patience as they work to restore power to affected customers as quickly and safely as possible.”
South Burnett Regional Council also said the Wondai section of the Rail Trail and the Dingo Creek carpark, toilets and playground have been temporarily closed due to the clearing of vegetation and debris as a result of the storms.
“Council apologises for any inconvenience caused and thanks you for your patience,” a spokesman said.
How far will the storms travel?
Sky News meteorologist Alison Osborne said Friday’s broad storm risk extends south of Emerald and Injune in the Maranoa region.
“There is broad risk of hit-or-miss thunderstorms today, and some may be severe with primary risks and isolated heavy downpours from tomorrow,” Ms Osborne said.
“Essentially, a coastal trough forming that is extending into Queensland this likely to lead to heavy rain, this could at this stage could be from the Central Coast to Wide Bay district, around 60 to 100mm in a day midnight to midnight.”
The slow-moving thunderstorms could cause large rain accumulation and are a risk for Saturday, but will ease off on Sunday in terms of the heavy rainfall Ms Osborne said.
The slow-moving storm risk for Saturday extends across Queensland from the Central Coast to Goondiwindi and towards coastal areas.
“The main threat with thunderstorms tomorrow is heavy rain. The storms will be slow moving like we saw that over north Stradbroke and Moreton Bay this morning,” Ms Osborne said.
“Moreton Island had under 80mm, but the heaviest fell in under two hours.
“Dunwich Airport had 161mm and most fell under two hours, due to the slow-moving early morning storm.”
What BOM has said
Bureau of Meteorology community information officer Daniel Hayes said showers and storms would continue through the inland parts of the southeast.
“We are seeing storms firing up again already this morning through eastern parts of the Maranoa, Warrego and into the coalfields,” Mr Hayes said.
“We do have an upper-level trough that’s expected to come through the area overnight, so that’s going to deepen the activity, with possible severe thunderstorms in the northwest and the central, southern and southeastern interior today.
“Localised heavy falls possible with showers storms about the southeast coast south of about Noosa during the early morning.
Mr Hayes said parts of the Darling Downs, Wide Bay Burnett and Central Highlands will have more rain, with continuation of storms to bring heavy falls into Saturday.
“The upper-level trough, will likely move away later on Saturday,” he said.
“But even into Sunday, we’ll still have the chance of more showers and storm activity, although hopefully a little bit less than what we’re expecting on Saturday.
“We’re still going to have our surface trough, lying inland from the coast in the east and the ridge along the coast itself. So we are still going to see moisture pulled in over the area, and some areas of activity.”
More than 1800 South East Queensland were left without power on Thursday afternoon, as up to 91mm of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9pm, with the worst of the conditions found on the Sunshine Coast.
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