Teenager missing in Queensland floodwaters that swept away and killed man

A man has died after being swept away by Queensland floodwaters while a 14-year-old girl has gone missing after scrambling out of a car.

A man is dead and the safety of multiple people is unconfirmed in Queensland’s flood emergency as wild weather hampers rescue crews from reaching them.

More than 650mm of rain fell at Mt Kanigan, 200km north of Brisbane, while similar downpours have resulted in nearby areas being drenched.

The body of a 22-year-old Sunshine Coast man was discovered in a ute on Saturday morning after it was reportedly swept off Cherry Tree Road at Kanigan near the Bruce Highway.

The town of Gundiah, west of Fraser Island, was hit hard by floods.

On Saturday afternoon, police said a man and teenage girl had got caught in floodwaters near the Burnett Highway and Murgon Gayndah Roads at Booubyjan, near Gympie, in the early hours of the day.

“It is believed the pair were in a Toyota Camry sedan and managed to get out of the vehicle before it was swept away,” police said in a statement.

“Shortly before 12.30pm, a 40-year-old man was rescued after being located clinging to a tree and taken to Bundaberg Hospital for treatment.

“Searching continues for a 14-year-old girl still missing.”

Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski had earlier stressed the seriousness of the “evolving” situation, saying a range of rescues has already been performed.

“We’ve seen a large number of people already trapped and a significant number of rescues,” he said.

Twenty-three people in 11 vehicles had been reported but because of difficulties accessing certain areas, emergency crews had only been unable to reach eight people.

Four of those rescued were taken to hospital in Bundaberg.

Four others were plucked from a flooded house at Booyal, 85km west of Hervey Bay.

Queensland Bruce Highway cut by flooding. Source: Twitter/@GregBray1

Residents in the town of Gympie were issued a major flooding alert at 7.30am on Saturday, with all motorists advised to stay off the roads.

At 2pm, Gympie Regional Council issued an emergency alert for Goomeri, Kilkivan and Woolooga residents advising significant flooding was affecting the area and urging them to stay in their homes.

Maryborough locals have been warned to prepare to move to higher ground and secure their belongings before the floodwaters peak.

The Mary River is expected to exceed the major flood level of nine metres in the greater Maryborough area on Sunday morning.

Parts of Queensland have been hit with wild weather. Source: Twitter/@GregBray1

Parts of the Bruce Highway appear to have been washed away near Curra, with motorists urged to seriously reconsider travel plans.

Locals in Gunalda, north of Gympie, reportedly spent the night sheltering at its local petrol station as properties were inundated with water.

Flash flooding warnings were issued for those between Paradise Dam and Mt Kanigan on Friday night.

The rain was caused by ex-tropical cyclone Seth, which mostly affected Queensland’s far north.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the remnants of Seth had moved over land in the southeast and was weakening rapidly through Saturday.

The downpour comes after ex-tropical cyclone Seth, which impacted north Queensland. Picture: Weatherzone via NCA NewsWire

In a later update, the bureau said a tropical low - potentially another cyclone - was forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain from early next week in coastal areas north of Cairns and may intensify to tropical cyclone strength early next week.

It’s currently about 405km northeast of Cooktown.

“If a tropical cyclone develops, it will be named Tiffany and is expected to initially be category one,” the bureau said.

The system is expected to cross the Cape York Peninsula on Monday or Tuesday before moving into the Gulf of Carpentaria.