Flash flooding on multiple Gold Coast roads after city pounded with rain
Gold Coast residents woke on Monday to find multiple roads flooded following heavy rain across the city overnight.
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Gold Coast residents woke on Monday to find multiple roads flooded following heavy rain across the city overnight.
An emergency situation was unfolding from 10am at Broadbeach, where two large Norfolk pine trees were leaning dangerously across the road, threatening powerlines.
Police and Energex crews were on the scene at Broadbeach Bvd, across from the Broadbeach One development site, which is yet to be built on.
Police had closed Broadbeach Ave south of Second Ave, where crowds of people watched as emergency services and tree loppers surveyed the scene.
It comes as onlookers pack onto the beach to check out the erosion on the Gold Coast’s famous beaches.
The heavy, pounding surf of the past few days has receded, leaving bare the impact of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.
Among major roads to be affected by flash flooding were the Robina Parkway at Clear Island Waters, Cheltenham Dr in Robina, the Gold Coast Highway at Arundel and Somerset Dr in Mudgeeraba.
At 3am, water was also reported to be partly over the road at Smith St opposite the Precision Drive on and off ramps. Nielsens Rd in Carrara was also said to be affected by flash flooding overnight.
The John Muntz Bridge at Oxenford was also closed overnight. High water had been seen lapping the edge of the bridge hours earlier on Sunday. The bridge reopened to traffic at 7am on Monday.
Flooding continued to block sections of other roads in the area, however, including Birds Rd, Guanaba Creek Rd and Tarata Rd.
Speaking to the Bulletin in Upper Coomera, where he was surveying local roads, Theodore MP Mark Boothman urged people not to try driving through floodwaters having witnessed a number of motorists taking the risk.
“The amount of cars I saw out there trying to drive through floodwaters was just ridiculous.
People aren’t heeding the warnings and the messages,” he said.
Areas of Yatala north were completely submerged with the northern most exit on the M1 southbound completely shut off.
Military units were seen travelling northbound moving towards some of the most flooded areas of the northern Gold Coast which include Yatala and Stapylton.
Helicopters could be seen flying low over Jacob’s Well which has been shut off at Jacob’s Well Rd due to flooding.
Paradise Point has so far escaped the worst case flooding scenario flagged by the council as the cyclone approached last week.
At high tide, around 6am, water was across parts of the Esplanade and parts of the aptly-dubbed “duck streets” including Drake Ave and Donald Ave.
Most locals were waking up after a third night without power including Julie, whose sandbagged home is next to a flooded section of road.
“It’s been a pretty hairy few days at this end of Paradise Point,” she said.
“This is as bad as it’s got, we haven’t flooded and nothing was damaged.
“I just had no power since Friday night, which is a real pain in the neck, but considering how bad it was, we’re really good. “
“It looked pretty scary on those maps they brought out - I packed the bag, I wasn’t sure whether I was going to have to go or not.”
The submerged roads have not been closed, but locals have asked people to avoid the area, or at least to slow down to avoid pushing the water level any higher.
The majority of main roads were open by 8am, with only a tangle of debris to their side speaking to the dramatic flash flooding that happened hours before.
At Helensvale Rd in Helensvale a white Land Rover Discovery lay abandoned amid broken tree branches where water had spilled across the road overnight.
Police were investigating the circumstances.
Residents are urged to exercise caution on the roads and check latest conditions at qldtraffic.qld.gov.au.
The flash flooding came after council issued emergency flood warnings overnight for residents of Luscombe, Yatala, Stapylton, Alberton and Gilberton, and for people living in Currumbin, Currumbin Valley, Tallebudgera, Tallebudgera Valley and Elanora.
‘Watch and act’ warnings were also issued for a number of areas.
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