Toombul flood: Man rescued as car floats away on Widdop Street

Flash flooding is now affecting creeks in Brisbane’s north, with a childcare centre evacuated due to rising water. Further south, a man had to be rescued clinging to a tree after his car was swept away in floodwaters.

Flash flooding is now affecting creeks in Brisbane’s north, with rising waters prompting a childcare centre at Zillmere to alert parents to collect their children early.

The alert at Boondall Early Childhood Centre was due to flooding at nearby Zillmere Water Holes.

Zillmere Rd has been cut near Sandgate Rd, with Groth Rd close to being cut as well.

FULL LIST OF QLD ROAD CLOSURES

It comes as more than 100mm of heavy rainfall has lashed South East Queensland in a matter of hours.

Since 9am, 107mm has been recorded at Banksia Beach, south of Maroochydore, while 89mm has hit Bribie Island.

Flooding near Boondall Early Childhood Centre, Zillmere

Flooding near Boondall Early Childhood Centre, Zillmere

Elsewhere, 65mm was recorded on Stradbroke Island, 61mm at Noosa, 55mm at Strathpine, and 50mm at Ransome, in Brisbane’s bayside.

Flash flooding is now impacting major roads in Brisbane’s bayside, with police alerting another road closure due to water over the road.

Rickertt and Chelsea roads at Ransome, south of Wynnum, are now closed due to flooding.

Police have alerted motorists to avoid the area and seek an alternative route.

A man was in a stable condition with back pain following a rescue operation at Tallebudgera on the Gold Coast this afternoon.

Queensland Fire and Rescue Services assisted Queensland Ambulance Service by driving through a flooded causeway to reach the injured man.

“The man tried to walk through floodwater and then had to be rescued by emergency services,” a spokeswoman said.

And a man was rescued from floodwaters after his vehicle became submerged in the Scenic Rim.

Emergency services responded to an incident at Biddaddaba, west of Tamborine Mountain, about 12.25pm where three people were inside a vehicle which was swept away in floodwaters.

Two passengers were able to make it to dry land but the third person was caught in the water and after removing himself from the vehicle clung to a tree.

QFES crews attended the scene and were able to rescue the man.

Paramedics assessed the patient but he was unharmed and declined hospital transportation.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of South East Queensland.

The alert warns that there are bands of heavy thunderstorms forming over the southern corner.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours.

Locations which may be affected include Brisbane, Maroochydore, Gympie, Caboolture, Cleveland and Redcliffe.

Severe thunderstorms have been detected on the weather radar near Strathpine, Caloundra, Palmwoods, Montville and the area southwest of Caloundra.

They are forecast to affect Brisbane CBD, Peachester and Crohamhurst by 12.50pm.

Heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding is likely.

And a man has had a lucky escape but lost his car in the process after heavy rain caused flash flooding in Brisbane’s north overnight.

SEE THE VIDEO BELOW

The man was filmed being walked to safety in waist-deep water along Widdop Street beside the Toombul Shopping Centre, as his car floated away.

The street is a known flood hotspot, where the Kedron Brook frequently bursts its banks in times of heavy rain, and with close to 60mm falling overnight in the already saturated area, it didn’t take much for the brook to become a torrent on Tuesday night.

Only last month, new illuminated road closure signs were put in place to prevent traffic driving into the rising floodwater following a number of similar incidents over the years.

A man is rescued by police as his car floats away on Widdop Street at Toombul. Picture: Janak Lamsal

The man’s car floated away in the direction of Moreton Bay but was located nearby. Picture: Janak Lamsal

Comments on the video had little sympathy for the man, who was helped to safety by four police officers who had to wade into the fast-moving water in to get him.

“Don’t be this guy,” one person said.

The man's car was located nearby on Wednesday morning. Picture: Facebook

Many parts of Queensland woke to a major flood emergency after significant overnight rainfalls flooded roads forcing the evacuation of homes, marking the beginning of summer with a drenching.

More than 400 roads across the state are closed due to flooding after up to 180mm of rain fell in the past 24 hours, and multiple communities have been impacted, with much of the worst conditions hitting the Darling Downs.

Close to 60mm of rain fell in Brisbane and the Gold Coast overnight, while the 24-hour total for the Moreton Bay region was 181mm.

Since 9am Tuesday, 184mm has fallen at Mt Glorious, northwest of Brisbane, while closer to the city 125mm has been recorded at Eatons Hill, and 105mm at Mt Coot-tha.