Qld weather: Rescues, evacuations, towns cut off as multiple regions cop drenching
The body of an elderly man has been pulled from a submerged utility on the Darling Downs after two vehicles were swept down a creek. It comes as the Lockyer Valley town of Grantham, which suffered the heaviest toll of the 2011 floods, is once again on an evacuation footing.
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An elderly man’s body has been pulled from floodwaters at Yalangur near Toowoomba after two cars were swept down a creek.
Police confirmed that the body of the 73-year-old Roma man was found inside a utility, following a search by specialist police and emergency services.
“Investigations are continuing regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Queensland police said in a statement.
“Anyone with information is urged to come forward.”
The accident happened about 8am when two utilities were swept into Oakey Creek at Kelvinhaugh-Yalangur Rd.
The driver and sole occupant of one of the utes was able to free himself and was uninjured.
It was not until 10.25am that the second vehicle was found.
It took emergency services a further several hours to free the man’s body, as police divers needed to be called in.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said: “We did find (the second vehicle) but we could not do a search due to the water level.
“It was at a depth where we were not able to search the vehicle and had to get police divers.”
A body was confirmed found just after 4pm.
It comes as police and meteorologists warn we haven’t seen the last of the flooding for Queensland, with some rivers yet to peak and more rain on the way.
Weather bureau senior meteorologist Laura Boekel said while there would be a reprieve from widespread rainfall across Queensland as a trough moved offshore, isolated activity could still bring heavy rain and flooding.
“So we’re definitely not out of the woods yet even though this weather system has moved offshore,” she said.
“Another key message from the bureau today is that our catchments are saturated.
“They’re responding incredibly quickly to any rainfall so we actually don’t need to see these heavy or intense amounts to see impacts on the ground from flash flooding to riverine flooding.”
Lockyer Valley Regional Council today asked police to advise residents in low-lying parts of Grantham to temporarily evacuate as a precautionary measure.
The post advised increased flows in Sandy Creek were likely to join with Lockyer Creek backflows in Grantham causing a sudden and temporary rise in water levels.
A police spokeswoman said Grantham was not being evacuated by police, but they had spoken to property owners in low-lying areas about their plans if water rises.
Areas considered to be at risk include Harris St, William St, Anzac Ave and eastern parts of Railway St.
The council asked identified residents and businesses, and any others who may be concerned, to relocate to family, friends or the Gatton township until the stream rise subsides.
“Major flooding is not expected – this is a precautionary measure to ensure residents have adequate notice,” the council posted to social media.
Council will continue to monitor the situation and will provide timely updates where necessary.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said its crews weren’t yet involved in an evacuation of the area.
Twelve people died in Grantham when a 3m wall of water rushed through in January 2011.
SES Crews believe they have located the car, 20 metres upstream of where it was swept away.
— Laura Lavelle (@laura_lavelle99) December 1, 2021
There is still no sign of the occupant. @7NewsToowoomba@7NewsBrisbanepic.twitter.com/99ENv7QTgu
Meanwhile, a major flood warning current for the Macintyre River has now been extended across more areas of southern Queensland where rivers are expected to rise in the coming hours.
BOM this afternoon warned major flood levels are expected at Texas over the next few hours and Goondiwindi and Boggabilla overnight.
Rainfall totals of up to 70mm have been recorded in the catchment since 9am Tuesday, after significant rainfall over the last week.
Further rainfall is possible today but significant rainfall totals are not expected over the catchment.
Queensland Police Service Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said water was expected to go down in Inglewood, where hundreds of homes were evacuated overnight, while rivers were rising in other areas of the state’s south.
“This isn’t over so some of this water will continue to cause problems,” Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski said.
“We’re looking at what it might mean in St George and other areas particularly in the Dalby district disaster management area to see what’s going to happen later this week.
“In some instances there, and also in Goondiwindi, we aren’t expecting the peaks until later this week, possibly Friday.”
It was expected the river at Goondiwindi would peak below the levee level.
Many parts of southern Queensland woke on Wednesday morning to a major flood emergency after significant overnight rainfalls flooded roads, sweeping cars away and forcing the evacuation of homes, marking the beginning of summer with a drenching.
In the southern Darling Downs town of Inglewood, 800 residents were evacuated from their homes.
More than 400 roads across the state are closed due to flooding after up to 180mm of rain fell in the past 24 hours, and multiple communities have been impacted, with much of the worst conditions hitting to the west and southwest of Toowoomba, where two towns were evacuated.
Significant rainfall is continuing across the state’s southeast, with more than 40mm falling on Bribie Island in the hour to 11am.
Authorities warn that any concentrated heavy rainfall on already saturated areas can lead to flash flooding.
Emergency service crews are working to get 200 residents out of Yelarbon, southwest of Toowoomba, as quickly as possible.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the Toowoomba region had received heavy falls in the previous 24 hours, with much of the region receiving more than 75mm.
Residents in Inglewood were effectively left stranded in their town after being ordered to evacuate from their homes immediately late on Tuesday night but not to leave the town as floodwaters rose rapidly.
About 800 residents have been safely evacuated and the river has peaked at 11.2 metres.
At least three swift water rescue jobs have been carried out in the area since last night.
Police confirmed that crews assisted with QFES to carry out at least three swift water rescues since last night at Inglewood.
Two of the jobs were in the major flood zone, while a third was at nearby Catfish Dam.
There are reports that one of the jobs in the major flood zone involved two adults and a child trapped in a vehicle in flooded waters.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Assistant Commissioner Stephen Smith said while the southwest was the worst-affected, the flooding was widespread across much of the state including central and southeastern parts.
Further flood warnings have been issued for the region including a major flood warning for the Macintyre River, the Weird River, and the Dumaresq River.
Major flooding is anticipated along the Dumaresq river, at Texas this evening.
Meanwhile, the Bremer River is still rising near Ipswich as BOM issues more flood warnings for the region.
The Bremer River at Five Mile Bridge is currently at 4.94 metres, more than a metre above the minor flood level but is expected to peak at 5.5m later this morning.
It comes as a number of road closures have been announced due to flash and sustained flooding across the southeast.
SEE THE FULL LIST OF ROAD CLOSURES HERE
Major roadways in regions including Ipswich, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Logan, Scenic Rim, Moreton, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, and the Darling Downs have been affected.
Bundaberg is also expected to have experienced its wettest November on record.
Minor flooding has also occurred in Chinchilla.
Elsewhere, major flood warnings have been issued for the Logan River, Albert River, Dawson River and the Connors and Isaac and Don and Dee Rivers.
Parts of the state’s southeast are also under water, after 24-hour falls of more than 100mm hit already saturated ground and swollen river catchments.
Close to 60mm of rain fell in Brisbane and the Gold Coast overnight, while the 24-hour total for the Moreton Bay region was 181mm.
A flood watch has been issued for the Pine and Caboolture rivers.
More than 40 roads in the region have been closed due to floodwaters.
Since 9am Tuesday, 184mm has fallen at Mt Glorious, northwest of Brisbane, while closer to the city 125mm has been recorded at Eatons Hill, and 105mm at Mt Coot-tha.
In Brisbane’s north, at least one car was swallowed by rapidly rising floodwaters overnight, with the driver of a vehicle having to be rescued as the Kedron Brook burst its banks at Toombul.
A QFES spokeswoman confirmed more than 320 calls for assistance have been made across Queensland since last night, with 85 in the state’s southwest near Inglewood, and 148 in Brisbane.
Authorities have reminded all motorists that if it’s flooded, forget it.
Elsewhere, residents in Warwick are being urged to prepare for the Condamine River to flood as heavy rainfall continues to slam the region.
The latest modelling from the Bureau of Meteorology predicted the Condamine River would hit 6.5m at about 7am on Wednesday, up from the possible 6m indicated on Tuesday night.
It is also expected that the river will peak in Pratten at 7.3m by Wednesday afternoon, with Southern Downs Regional Council and the Rural Fire Service completing door knocks to affected properties in the area.
BOM rain gauges have recorded 70mm of rain in Warwick since 9am on Tuesday, with a huge 112mm at Spring Creek Road and 81mm at Emu Creek and Yangan.
More rain is expected throughout Wednesday, covering a must of the state from the NSW border to Townsville.
Conditions are expected to ease in the afternoon and into the evening.
Roma had its wettest November since records began 150 years ago while Brisbane recorded its wettest spring in 11 years.
The record-breaking spring downpours, however, have barely improved South East Queensland’s drinking water storage levels after missing key catchments despite 108.5mm falling in the past week.
It’s unlikely flooding rain has been enough to reverse drought declarations across swathes of the state with long-term deficiencies leaving the soil dry.
BOM meteorologist Shane Kennedy said it was likely more rain would be needed for declarations to be revoked for 64.7 per cent of Queensland.
“We’re looking at some fairly substantial rainfall deficiencies over the past couple of years, particularly through the Capricornia and Wide Bay area,” Mr Kennedy said.
“The recent rainfall is certainly helping but I’d say there’s still a bit to go and generally we need more consistent rain and across a larger amount of time to get what the land needs.
“If we get all too much, too soon, then a lot if it can just run off rather than soaking in.”
Minister for Water Glenn Butcher in November urged residents to be vigilant with water use, saying it mattered where the rain was falling.
The southeast’s largest and most important drinking water storage has largely missed out, receiving less rain in the past week than any other catchment in the region’s water grid.
Wivenhoe Dam, which was sitting at 41.8 per cent capacity on the first day of the wetter-than-average spring, has actually dropped to 39.8 per cent and a trough currently lingering over the region is yet to make an impact.
The dam is the main supply of water for Brisbane and the greater Ipswich area, and the only dam in the South East Queensland Water Grid to fall in the past week.
It’s possible the dam will begin to rise if ongoing rain saturates the soil surrounding the catchment.
Flood releases from North Pine Dam have not started and not currently expected to occur. More info https://t.co/6b9lv0fRo2pic.twitter.com/DwHn0xREcv
— Seqwater (@Seqwater) November 30, 2021
The grid’s overall capacity has however risen by 1.4 per cent to 56.5 per cent.
Drought declarations are ultimately in the hands of the State Government which reviews conditions around the end of the wet season, usually in April or May.
48-HR RAINFALL TOTALS TO 6PM WEDNESDAY:
MT GLORIOUS – 262 mm
CABOOLTURE – 147 mm
BEAUDESERT – 114 mm
ARTUNGA – 138 mm
TOOWOOMBA – 84 mm
BRIGALOW – 99mm
YULEBA – 166mm
24-HR RAINFALL TOTALS TO 6PM WEDNESDAY:
Withcott – 83mm
Gold Coast -106mm
Narangba - 100mm
Mt Brigalow – 96mm
Yuleba- 166mm
Moogerah Dam – 112mm
Palen Creek - 120mm
Ocean View – 141mm
Mt Glorious -186mm
Oakey - 89mm
Originally published as Qld weather: Rescues, evacuations, towns cut off as multiple regions cop drenching
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