More heavy rainfall forecast across Sunshine Coast region

Up to 60mm of rain is still expected to fall on Saturday as police were required to guide a pair to safety in the hinterland after a treacherous night on Sunshine Coast roads.

Police officers have had to walk two people to safety after they became trapped by flood waters in the Sunshine Coast hinterland on Friday night.

Firefighting rescue crews were called to North Arm-Yandina Creek Rd, North Arm about 7.20pm Friday, May 13, but their services weren’t required.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said police officers had managed to guide the stranded pair to safety before firefighters arrived on scene.

Bureau of Meteorology’s Helen Reid said widespread rainfall was expected on Saturday with up to another 60mm tipped to fall.

The meteorologist said the rainfall was tipped to ease on Sunday with only about 20-30mm expected and only a few showers were forecast Monday.

Ms Reid said she would “like to think we’re through the worst of it”.

Hazardous surf conditions were expected to remain for a few days and strong winds which had battered the region were expected to ease from Sunday.

The Gympie radar at about 9am Saturday morning, May 14.

The forecast came after a night of carnage on slick roads around the region.

Five people were taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital about 5.15pm Friday after a two-vehicle crash on Caloundra Rd and the Steve Irwin Way exit.

A woman in her 40s suffered back pain, two children were taken to hospital in stable conditions with minor seatbelt-related injuries while a woman who was trapped in a car was taken to hospital in a serious condition with a leg injury.

A man was also taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition with a leg injury.

Paramedics were called at 6.45pm to a reported car and pedestrian incident in Noosa Heads.

A young girl was taken to hospital in a stable condition as a precaution after an incident on Ravenwood Dr.

Just before 10pm ambulance officers were again in action after a car rolled on Jabiru St and Lorikeet Dr, Peregian Beach.

One person was taken to hospital in a stable condition after the crash at 9.54pm Friday.

Since 9am Friday there had been more than 150mm of rain recorded at Lake Macdonald, 145mm at Mapleton, 126mm in Yandina Creek, more than 100mm in Nambour, more than 100mm in Tewantin, 93mm in Noosaville and 53mm in Mountain Creek.

EARLIER

Nine school aged children have been evacuated from Pomona State School after they were cut off by rising floodwater.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency spokeswoman said four crews were called to Station St, Pomona, at 11.05am after reports the children and an adult had been left stranded on the other side.

She said the swift water rescue team assisted in getting the children and adult safely across the flooded the swollen embankment.

The school posted on social media the staff decided to evacuate after water was quickly rising on Station St.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned people on the Sunshine Coast and Noosa told to prepare for intense rainfall and potentially dangerous flooding throughout Friday.

Roads around the southeast are closed.

There are reports on social media of a bogged semi-trailer on Steve Irwin Way and Kings St, which is expected to cause lengthy delays.

An upper low that is creating the rain is expected to move south during Friday, with six-hour falls of up to 160mm possible.

Areas that may be affected include Maroochydore, Noosa, Gympie, Maryborough, Kingaroy and Caboolture and.

Life-threatening flash flooding is possible, with up to 90mm for Maleny on Friday.

Floodwater washes over roads at Woodford. Picture: Queensland Fire and Emergency

The BOM on Thursday released its Climate Model Summary, which revealed La Nina was persisting, but should return to neutral-ENSO by July.

Heavy rainfall is expected to be concentrated around a surface trough which is forecast to develop over the Wide Bay and Burnett district early Friday morning and move slowly southward during the afternoon and evening.

The Bureau warns heavy rainfall may lead to flash flooding in the early hours of Friday and continue across the day, with six-hourly rainfall totals between 100mm to 160mm possible.

Locations which may be affected include Cooroy, Nambour and Rainbow Bay, Gympie, Bundaberg and Hervey Bay.

Sunshine Coast Council issued a Watch and Act warning on Thursday afternoon, urging residents to stay off the roads.

Noosa and Gympie residents also received similar text alerts on Thursday from their respective councils.

Meanwhile, tankers are carting water to local reservoirs in Kenilworth with wet weather impacting source water quality at the local treatment plant.

Unitywater have stated residents can continue using water as normal and should not notice a disruption to their services.

Customers who rely on fill stations in town should use our community fill stations located in Cooroy, Nambour, Warner and Highvale.

A morning swimmer makes his way back to shore through a sea of foam that has washed up at Mooloolaba due to the torrential rainfall making its way down the Queensland coast. Picture Lachie Millard

Thunderstorms could also strike the region from Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, events planned for the weekend are starting to be cancelled or postponed due to the dangerous wet weather conditions.

The Noosa Rise and Grind cycling event has been rescheduled to September 11, 2022 after heavy rain proved too risky for riders.

Flooding on Neill Road, Mooloolah Valley on May 11. Picture: Luke Barry-Bitmead

Senior Meteorologist Laura Boekel, from the Bureau of Meteorology, said rapid rises occurred across several creeks in southeast Queensland.

“Over the coming days, we are expecting rain areas to continue across parts of central and eastern Queensland,” she said.

“Within these rain areas we could see thunderstorms which could bring more intense pockets of rainfall as well as damaging winds.

“At this stage, these rain areas will likely ease from Saturday where we will see rain activity become more showery over the weekend before easing.”

Ms Boekel said any amount of rainfall could lead to flash flooding because the catchments are already saturated.

Sunshine Coast Council is reporting the following roads are closed due to flash flooding:

Neill Road, Mooloolah Valley

Commissioners Flat Road, Commissioners Flat

Cove Road, Commissioners Flat

37km away Hazard – Emergency roadworks Sobraon Street, Sunrise Beach

Old Cove Road, Woodford

Maleny Kenilworth Road, Conondale

Kilcoy Beerwah Road, Woodford

Walli Creek rd, Kenilworth

Canando Street, Woodford

Neurum Road, Woodford

Skyring Creek Road, Belli Park

Hill Street, Pomona

Kenilworth Skyring Creek Road / Kenilworth Skyring Creek Road (Happy Jack Creek Bridge), Tuchekoi

Hill Street / Mill Street, Pomona

Louis Bazzo Drive, Ringtail Creek

Louis Bazzo Drive, Pomona

Skyring Creek Road, Federal

James Street / Railway Road, Cooran

Yabba Creek Road, Imbil

Drivers face delays

Mooloolah Valley resident Luke Barry-Bitmead said he couldn’t find an alternative route after trying to drive to work on Neill Road at 6.45am on Wednesday.

“This is like the fifth time in three months we’ve been flooded,” Mr Barry-Bitmead said.

“Unfortunately it doesn’t take much to throw the bridge over when it’s already waterlogged.

“I think there’s another way via a back road but I’m not sure if that’s flooded at the other end.

“You usually need a 4WD to access it when it’s wet.”

The Woombye Palmwoods Road bridge at Palmwoods is always flooded, with many residents forced to find another way around the blockage.

RAINFALL TOTALS

24 hours to 9am Thursday

Woombye – 122mm

Yandina – 115mm

Bald Knob – 129mm

Landsborough – 137mm

Peachester – 156mm

Palmview – 75mm

SCHOOL CLOSURES

The River School (Maleny)

Originally published as More heavy rainfall forecast across Sunshine Coast region