Woman found dead in floodwaters as severe weather batters Queensland

A woman has been found dead in floodwaters as urgent warnings are issued for drivers in two states.

Drivers in Sydney and Queensland are being urged to remain cautious and avoid floodwaters after a woman was found dead and an elderly man was rescued in two separate incidents following heavy rainfall in both states.

A 28-year-old woman was found dead inside a partially submerged car in floodwaters in Queensland’s central west on Friday.

Emergency services received reports of a partially submerged white Toyota HiLux in the flooded Malbon River, near Cloncurry Duchess Road at 1:15pm on Friday.

The Townsville woman was declared dead at the scene and investigations into her death are ongoing.

The death comes after a man’s vehicle mounted a footpath and crashed into a fence before rolling down a steep incline at Mosman on Sydney’s lower north shore at 7am.

A man in his 80s has been rescued from his car after it rolled down an embankment during wet weather conditions in Mosman, Sydney. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

Fire and Rescue NSW worked for an hour to free the man trapped in his vehicle. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

Fire and Rescue NSW crews worked for an hour to free the man, aged in his 80s, from the wreckage, in what they described as a “delicate” mission.

“Dozens of firefighters, including specialist rescue personnel, worked for more than an hour to stabilise the car and free the man,” NSW Fire and Rescue said.

“They used straps, cables, winches and hydraulic tools to prevent the car from further rolling down the embankment.”

The man escaped with superficial cuts and abrasions and was treated by paramedics before being transported to Royal North Shore Hospital in a stable condition.

A crane will likely be called in to remove the man’s car.

The incidents comes as urgent warnings are in place after dangerous flash flooding hit Queensland’s east coast after the region copped heavy downpours overnight.

Dangerous flash flooding has hit the region with Brisbane recording 85mm of rainfall in just two hours at 2.45am Friday.

The severe weather is expected to continue throughout the day.

Located on The Central Coast, Green Hills recorded 90mm of rain within two hours, while Towong recorded 88mm.

Brisbane was hit with 85mm of rain in two hours overnight. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology

A Toyota Corolla became stuck in floodwater in Widdop st, Nundah. NCA NewsWIRE / John Gass

Tow truck drivers rescue a car from floodwaters in Widdop st, Nundah. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / John Gass

A total of 137mm was dumped on the region overnight.

Rosalie, northwest of Toowoomba recorded nearly 100mm of rain within just three hours.

Kedron Brook Creek in Brisbane’s northern suburbs has broken its banks and blocked Shaw Road in Kalinga and Widdop Street nearby Toombul shopping centre.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued severe thunderstorm warning for the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Caboolture, Ipswich, Mount Tamborine and Redcliffe shortly before 6am on Friday.

The Bureau warns the areas along the south east coast are likely to be affected by heavy rainfall that may lead to further flash flooding in coming hours.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of the Southeast Coast Forecast District. Picture: BOM

Bureau of Meteorology Senior Meteorologist Dean Narramore said regions previously affected by flash flooding can expect similar conditions.

“We’re going to see widespread heavy rainfall, all (this has) … lead to widespread flash and riverine flooding, particularly those areas already flooded around the Burketown and Doomadgee area in far north West Queensland,” Mr Narramore told the Today Show.

“We’ve already flooded just a few weeks ago.”

It comes as the Bureau warns a Tropical low in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria is expected to cross the coast as a Tropical Low or possibly as a Tropical Cyclone on Friday.

The Bureau issued a Tropical Cyclone Warning for the southern Gulf coast and Islands west of Burketown as a tropical low sat 280km northwest of Mornington Island.

Roads closed in Widdop st, Nundah as wild and wet weather continues to batter Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / John Gass

Brisbane and Sydney are both facing wet weekends. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Areas impacted by the tropical low include Burketown, Doomadgee, Karumba, Augustus Downs Station, Westmoreland Station and Lawn Hill.

The Bureau on Thursday said the Tropical Low had a 40 per cent chance of developing into a Tropical Cyclone on Friday.

Damaging wind gusts of up to 100 km/h are possible over parts of The Gulf country from Friday midday.

Six-hourly rainfall totals between 50 to 90mm are also likely within the southern Gulf region, with areas closer to the Tropical low likely to receive 24-hourly rainfall totals of 150 to 200mm.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned on, Tropical low 07U was expected to form in the western Gulf of Carpentaria on Wednesday.

Mr Narramore said conditions could intensify further into Friday.

“Still a Tropical low, but it is starting to increase. It’s got a short window of intensification, but it could develop as we get into this afternoon hours,” he said.

“We’re already seeing winds gusting to 80km an hour on parts of The Gulf Coast.”

Parts of Sydney have also been hit with the deluge with the city receiving up to 60mm of rain overnight. The heavy rainfall is set to continue through Friday morning and into the afternoon, according to the Bureau.

The wet weather conditions come as Western Australia battles through the hottest February on record, with five consecutive days of temperatures reaching above 40C in Perth forecasted.

The mercury reached 41.7C on Thursday, with a short reprieve from sweltering temperatures arriving on Friday with a top of 29C.

However, temperatures are set to soar once again with the mercury set to hit 43 on Sunday and 42 on Monday.

“We’ve had an unusual situation where the west coast trough … has stayed offshore and rather than move in for an extended period of time bringing southerly and westerly winds off the ocean, it’s rather stalled and reformed off the west coast quite quickly,” a weather bureau spokesperson said.