The Queensland Fire Department have successfully rescued three people trapped in flood waters

Three teenagers found clinging to a tree in floodwaters have been rescued near Mareeba on Sunday night.

Three people were successfully rescued from flood waters after cloning to a tree for an hour and a half. Stock Picture. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Three teens were stuck clinging to a tree in floodwaters near Mareeba for an hour and a half on Sunday afternoon before being rescued.

Emergency crews were called to the Barron River just after 5pm after three teenagers were found clinging to a tree about 15m from the river bank.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said Mareeba police had been patrolling the area when other children alerted the police to the trapped girls.

“The three girls, aged between 13 years old and 14 years old, had been swimming with a group of other children in the flooded river when they became trapped,” the spokesman said.

Five separate fire crews were called to the scene but were unable to rescue the three girls until the swift water team arrived.

A spokesman for the Queensland Fire Department said the teenagers were rescued just before 6.30pm.

“Initially there was a report of a number of children holding onto a tree in the middle of some flood water,” A QFD spokesman said.

“They were safe and approximately 15m from the river bank with downstream safety in place in case there let go of the tree at any point.

“Once the swift water response team arrived the rescue was successfully completed.”

The three children suffered no physical injuries.

The rescue comes just days after a 15-year-old boy was swept into a storm water drain Mareeba, luckily sustaining only minor cuts and grazes.

Originally published as The Queensland Fire Department have successfully rescued three people trapped in flood waters