Woman dead as east coast deluge delivers hundreds of millimetres of rain

One woman has died and up to 10 people are missing as Queensland is smashed with hundreds of millimetres of rain in just hours.

A woman has died in Queensland and several other people are missing as life threatening floods caused by drenching rains moved into the state’s south east on Wednesday.

The body of a 60-year-old woman was found in a submerged car in Belli Park in the Sunshine Coast hinterland this morning.

“Unfortunately we have seen a death overnight and we at all cost want to try to avoid that,” Superintendent Craig Hawkins said confirming that the woman’s body had been found.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the death was a “tragedy”.

A search is underway for a 54-year-old man who was reported missing after his motorbike was found at 7.30am.

In one location in the state’s south east 424mm of rain fell in 24 hours. Sections of the catchment of the Brisbane River could see 500mm of rain over the coming days.

30am on Wednesday at Cedar Pocket, near Gympie, reported the Courier Mail.

In Traveston, west of Noosa, a freight train was derailed due to the floodwaters.

A body has been found in a submerged car after floods and heavy rain struck Queensland’s south west. Credit: 7 NEWS

A freight train derailed at Traveston after the tracks were flooded by extreme rain. Pictures: 7 News Sunshine Coast

The drenching comes after Sydney was absolutely smashed by rain over the last 24 hours. More than 100mm fell on the CBD in the 24 hours to 9am on Wednesday with even more in the city’s inner west and Canterbury-Bankstown regions which bore the brunt.

Downpours are set to continue in Sydney but shouldn’t be so extreme.

“The next in the firing line is south east Queensland,” said Sky News Weather meteorologist Alison Osborne on Wednesday.

“The rain is zoning in like a laser beam, as are the winds, over south eastern Queensland as a trough of low pressure sits in the Coral Sea.

“The focal point of that heavy rain will be highly dependent on the position and movement of that system,” said Ms Osborne.

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Supplied Brisbane is next in line for a drenching. Picture: Sky News Weather.

The east coast is looking at 10 days of rain this week. Picture: Sky News Weather.

“But with high confidence we have the risk of life threatening flash flooding and river rises today in south eastern Queensland.

“For the rest of the week, widespread showers and storms will continue that risk of intense life threatening flash flooding

“So a fairly dangerous situation unfolding in south eastern Queensland,” she said.

A severe weather warning for “intense rainfall” covers all of the state’s south east from Stanthorpe to Gympie.

Brisbane could see between 60-100mm of rain for the remainder of Wednesday and then between 50 and 120mm on Thursday and up to 80mm on Friday with storms possible every day.

Surfers Paradise could be hit with 200mm of rain on Wednesday and then almost as much for the rest of the week.

The showers will lessen relatively quickly once you leave the southern parts of the state. Bundaberg for instance will see rain but up to 35mm on Thursday, far less than Brisbane. Mackay will just notice passing shower or two.

Friday could see rain remaining in NSW but heavier falls zeroing in on south east Queensland. Picture: Sky News Weather.

NSW will still be wet

Northern New South Wales is also going to be very soggy with potentially more than 100mm on Thursday and Friday.

A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall is in place for the state north of Grafton and as far inland as Tenterfield.

The rain won’t be stopping in Sydney but there should be less of it. Up to 15mm and stormy on Thursday and then possibly 10mm or so each day for the coming days and into the weekend with highs of 27C.

Some rain in Canberra on Thursday with a high of 28C. A possible thunderstorm on Friday and then a high of 23C with up to 8mm of rain on Saturday with similar on Sunday.

Sydneysiders have seen heavy rain for the last few days. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

Western Australia is set to remain scorching. Picture: Sky News Weather.

Scorching heat continues in WA
Elsewhere around Australia, Melbourne is looking at high of 27C on Thursday dipping to 23C on Friday and back up to 27C for the weekend with lows of around 20C. Thursday and Friday could see showers.

Hobart is getting cooler with 23C on Thursday and 19C on Friday before settling around 21C with lows in the mid teens for the weekend.

Hot in Adelaide with maximums hovering around the low thirties into and across the weekend. Minimums will be near the 20C mark. The city should be mostly sunny.

Hotter still in Perth where the heat just will not end. A high of 36C on Thursday, 33C on Friday and then 34C across the weekend. Monday could reach 38C. Lows will drop to around 20C.

Darwin can expect tops of 32C and around 10mm of rain with as well as possible thunderstorms for the next week.

Originally published as Woman dead as east coast deluge delivers hundreds of millimetres of rain