Sunshine Coast, Noosa residents prepare for more flooding as heavy rain continues

Flood warning remain in place for the Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions as the heavy rainfall moves south. SEE THE PHOTOS

Sunshine Coast and Noosa residents can expected flood warnings to stay in place as schools across South East Queensland schools closed and a stay home order has been given.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather for South East Queensland, with heavy rain expected to continue on Monday.

FLOODING RISK STILL APPLIES DESPITE RAIN STOPPING

The latest warning from the weather bureau states river levels are no further significant rainfall is expected over the catchment in the next few days but flood warning srema

The weather bureau’s latest forecast at 3pm Sunday states major flooding is possible at Tewantin and minor flooding is likely at Picnic Point on Monday morning on the high tide.

Very heavy rainfall has been recorded across the Noosa and Maroochy River catchments in the 24 hours to 9am Sunday, rainfall totals of 150-350 mm have been recorded.

Since 9am, a further 20-100 mm has been recorded in the Maroochy and Mooloolah catchments.

This rainfall has led to significant river level rises along the Maroochy, Noosa and Mooloolah Rivers and Coochin Creek catchments.

River levels remain elevated in the catchment area.

Maroochy River

Renewed rises and minor flooding may occur along the Maroochy River during Monday morning on the high tide.

The Maroochy River at Dunethin Rock is currently at 1.96 metres (below minor) and steady. The Maroochy River at Dunethin Rock is likely to remain below the minor flood level (2.90 m) during Monday.

The Maroochy River at Picnic Point is currently at 0.96 metres (below minor) and rising. The Maroochy River at Picnic Point is likely to exceed the minor flood level (1.30 m) ) during Monday morning on the high tide.

Noosa River

Major flooding may occur along the Noosa River.

The Noosa River at Tewantin is currently at 1.47 metres and steady, with moderate flooding. The Noosa River at Tewantin may peak near the major flood level (1.80 m) Monday morning on the high tide.

Mooloolah River

Minor flooding is easing along the Mooloolah River.

The Mooloolah River at Palmview is currently 4.19 metres (below minor) and falling. The Mooloolah River at Palmview may remain below the minor flood level (4.50 m) during Monday.

Coochin Creek

Minor flooding is easing along the Coochin Creek.

Senior meteorologist Harry Clark said while the heavy rainfall and thunderstorms will be “mostly towards Brisbane”, Coast residents should still expect to see continued showers across the region.

“Showers could redevelop, particularly on the southern Sunshine Coast, from Maroochydore south and through to the hinterland,” Mr Clark said.

“We couldn’t rule out locally heavy rainfall as well.

“Keep an eye on the radar particularly for heavy falls.”

The Coast recorded 50-100mm of rain in the 24 hours leading up to 9am on Sunday, while the hinterland had rainfall between 200-300mm.

Mr Clark said residents can expect to see rain ease on Monday but the weather system remains “generally unstable” which means conditions can change suddenly.

Bradman Avenue remains closed as residents prepare for more rain and heavy flooding to hit the Sunshine Coast. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“There will be some showers but finally we see those totals fall under 15mm,” he said.

The Coast looks like to have escaped the prospect of flood levels exceeding the 1992 record, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting river levels to not get as high as earlier expected.

There were also widespread power outages on Sunday morning including at Beerwah, Glasshouse Mountains, Carters Ridge, Tuchekoi, Hunchy, Palmwoods, Noosaville, Imbil, Kandanga, Peacher, Woodford, Stony Creek, Chevallum, Eudlo and Maroochydore.

Emergency crews have been kept busy overnight with many call-outs to assist those trapped in floodwater, including one Glasshouse Mountain family who were rescued as water quickly gushed through their house.

Further north, a woman had to be rescued from her home in Gympie after the water went to window height.

What’s closed on Monday

The Department of Transport and Main Roads closed the Bruce Highway in both directions from Caboolture to Caloundra with water covering several sections of the main artery.

Queensland Police said the closures would be in place for a “lengthy period”.

Just after 9am, there were still 264 roads listed with closures from Boreen Point north of Noosa to Burpengary south of Caloundra

The Bruce Hwy will remain closed between Caboolture and Caloundra in both directions until further notice. Picture: TMR

Heavy to locally intense rainfall is contracting from the Wide Bay and northern Sunshine Coast, with much of the deluge expected to travel south towards Northern New South Wales in the coming days.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Queensland has not experienced this much rain in such a short period of time before.

“It is literally a rain bomb over the entire SEQ,” she said, comparing it to Cyclone Debbie.

“It was completely unforeseen that this (rain bomb) would stay here for so long,” she said.

“We don’t control nature – this is beyond our control.

“The system is easing on the Sunshine Coast but there are roads closed including the Bruce Hwy.”

Schools in a number of Local Government Areas, including the Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions, will be closed tomorrow to ensure the safety of students, staff and families.

Education Minister Grace Grace encouraged families to check the Queensland school closure website which will have each school closure listed on the site – including state, catholic and independent schools.

“The site also guides you on where to get updates on Early Childhood and Care providers,” Ms Grace said.

“Schools will provide updates to parents through their usual communication channels about the closures, alternate arrangements and reopening dates.

“We would like to thank the parents, carers, teachers, staff and school communities for their resilience as the flood situation is evolving rapidly.”

Meanwhile, dozens of Queensland courts will be closed to the public on Monday, with only urgent domestic and family violence applications will go ahead.

The arrangements apply to courts at Beaudesert, Beenleigh, Brisbane, Caboolture, Caloundra, Cleveland, Coolangatta, Gatton, Gympie, Holland Park, Ipswich, Maroochydore, Maryborough, Murgon, Nambour, Noosa, Pine Rivers, Redcliffe, Richlands, Sandgate, Southport and Wynnum.

Residents ready to start big clean up

Maroochydore residents living on Bradman Ave are still waiting for waters to recede before they begin the big clean up after the flood.

Richelle Rae has lived on Bradman Ave since 2013 and this recent rainfall is the worst she’s ever seen in the area.

Bradman Ave remains closed as residents prepare for more rain and heavy flooding to hit the Sunshine Coast. Richelle Rae overlooks the flooded Maroochy River. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“Obviously it’s a bit wet, we’re ground zero here by the river” she said.

“Previously we’ve never had water out the back until now.

“We had low tide about 12.30, the fact it wasn’t belting down at the time was reassuring.

“We knew it was going to be a big one, I knew there was no point in sandbagging. We had the trifecta, we had the water coming up the river, the heavy rain and the tide.”

Ms Rae said she was planning on starting the big clean up on Monday but she’d managed to salvage a few things before the water came through the lower level of her house.

“All we could do was find keepsakes and bring them upstairs,” she said

“I phoned my daughter who lives in Brisbane for university about what she wanted me to save, all she wanted were her photo albums, her school jacket and a canvas she’d painted.

“I’m about to do a big cook up, we’ll open everything up and watch the water come in then tomorrow we won’t stop cleaning.”

25+ Photos: Maroochydore residents brace for big clean up after flood

VIEW GALLERY

Wet weather continues as system moves south

The Sunshine Coasts is no longer seeing prolonged rainfall but more showers could fall, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

A weather bureau spokeswoman said there has been a “clearance in northern areas – Sunshine Coast and Fraser Coast” but “these areas are not out of the woods yet.”

“The focus now remains on Brisbane and the Gold Coast where we are seeing a lot of widespread rainfall, some really high rainfall totals and some really intense rainfall and it’s that intense rainfall that can lead to flash flooding especially considering that our rivers and catchments are incredibly saturated and responding incredibly quickly,” she said.

“We have already seen 70mm fall within an hour at Bribie Island – just one example of how quickly this rain is falling.

“The relief will come in the early hours of Monday morning but we can expect this rain event to continue today and well into tonight.

“We are also expecting a lot of activity in our rivers and catchments.”

Bradman Ave remains closed as residents prepare for more rain and heavy flooding to hit the Sunshine Coast. Out having their morning coffee are Jane and Calvin Coffey. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Ms Palaszczuk said the weather is expected to ease into Monday when it started to move south.

“We have this big rain event right across the southeast … we have a lot of rain coming right across the southeast catchment zone into Wivenhoe,” she said.

“This is a very extreme weather event that we have at the moment.”

Ms Palaszczuk said the system was moving south and Beaudesert could experience major flooding on Monday.

QFES Commissioner Greg Leach said authorities needed people to stay home.

“If you’re thinking about doing some sightseeing to look at flooded areas, don’t,” he said, adding we have ‘at least 24 more hours of danger’.

There has been more than 850 requests for service from the SES in the past 24 hours.

“Our crews have received over 5000 requests for assistance since this event began,” Mr Leach said.

In the hours from 9am Saturday to 5am Sunday, a staggering 430mm fell at Mount Glorious, with other huge totals centring around the Caboolture and southern Sunshine Coast area.

Elimbah received 371mm, there was 306mm at Rose Ck Road, 302mm at Mount Mee, 288mm at Beerburrum, 295mm at Wamuran and 283mm at Delaneys Ck.

Flood waters on Sunshine Coast. Maroochy River breaks it banks along Bradman Ave, Maroochydore. Picture: Brad Fleet

“Heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding is forecast to continue over parts of southeast Queensland today. Six-hourly rainfall totals between 60mm and 120mm are likely to continue, reaching up to 150mm over areas southeast of Caloundra to Warwick and contracting south to the NSW border today.

“Locally intense rainfall leading to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding is possible with thunderstorms during this period, particularly over coastal areas south of Caloundra and the Gold Coast hinterland.

Six-hourly rainfall totals in excess of 200mm are possible. A separate Severe Thunderstorm Warning will be issued if very dangerous thunderstorms with intense rainfall are detected. A more general 5am alert issued on Sunday by the Bureau of Meteorology warned a low pressure system has developed and is embedded within the surface trough that has been causing havoc over the past few days.

“This low is expected to track southward along the Southeast Queensland coast and into northeastern New South Wales today producing further heavy to locally intense rainfall with embedded thunderstorms,” the alert said.

“As this low tracks southward heavy rainfall is expected to contract towards the NSW border during today.

90+ images: SEQ’s flood disaster in pics

VIEW GALLERY

Gympie is facing the worst flooding in 30 years while the community of Cherbourg is likely to be cut off for several days as rescue authorities plan supply drops for the area.

Almost 2000 calls for help were made to rescue authorities, with 132 swift-water rescues performed in the 24 hours until late Saturday.

Another good reason to stay off the roads. A landslip on Landsborough Maleny Road. Photo: Sunshine Coast State Emergency Service

CHAOS ON THE ROADS

Many drivers have been left stranded trying to get home with the Bruce Highway still closed in parts and hundreds of roads shut to prevent people driving through floodwater.

Brookwater resident Karen Pereira said she and some friends have spent the last 24 hours trying to get home after a week away in Noosa.

“We got stuck, we were coming out of Noosa on Saturday morning, we drove six hours back and forth and there was no accommodation,” she said.

“We found some accommodation in Montville but we physically had to get out of the car and move big rocks out of the way to get past.

“There’s been roadblocks everywhere.

“We just thought ‘what the heck’, we didn’t want to have to sleep in our car.”

Beerburrum Rd closed due to flooding. Picture: Karen Pereira

Ms Pereira said she was now stopped by police on Beerburrum Road just near the Welcome to Moreton Bay sign where a lot of cars were turning around to try an alternative route.

“Police are inspecting the road but say there’s about 3m of water and because of the bridge damage there’s lot of debris on the road,” she said.

Traffic responders are assessing the damage across the region, including the Bruce Highway to see if it can open sooner as water begins to recede.

Authorities are urging people to stay off the roads while crews urgently assess and prioritise works, ahead of undertaking repairs over the coming week.

They are also clearing debris and landslides across the region.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads has advised the Bruce Highway remains closed in both directions at Six Mile Creek and is likely to remain closed for the rest of today and overnight.

Sunshine Motorway is closed north of the Sunshine Coast Airport.

A Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesman said the extent of the impacts of the flooding on the Bruce Highway will not be known until it is safe for our crews to carry out inspections.

“The Bruce Highway is closed at multiple locations between Brisbane and Gympie,” he said.

“All routes connecting Caboolture and Caloundra are also currently closed.

“Motorists should stay off the Bruce Highway, avoid the area and minimise all travel if possible.”

Alternate routes are also closed due to serious flooding, including 46 state-controlled roads closed across the North Coast, along with lots of other local roads.

Drivers are being urged to stay off the roads but if travel is necessary then they should drive to conditions and stay out of floodwater.

“Please stay home if you can. Looks can be deceiving and just because the road’s dry doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive on,” the spokesman said.

“Flooding can lead to all sorts of hidden damage so please wait until we’ve had a chance to inspect the roads.”

Queensland Rail has also suspended the Sunshine Coast line trains between Caboolture and Gympie North stations due to severe weather and flooding over tracks.

People walking along the Bruce Highway after cars came to a standstill following road closures. Picture: Karen Pereira

EVACUATION CENTRES OPEN

Noosa’s Disaster Management Group is warning residents in parts of Noosaville and Tewantin to prepare for inundation, with Noosa River set to peak at 1.7 metres at high tide, which was 5.40am Sunday.

Memorial Ave, Hilton Esplanade, Hilton Terrace, Gympie Terrace, Cloudsley Street, parts of Eumundi Noosa Road, Hygieta Street, Janet Street, Robert Street and Lake Weyba Drive are all in the firing line.

Flooding is also expected to impact the lower ends of Moorindil Street, Carramar Street as well as Burgess Drive near Beckmans Road. Noosa North Shore is also set to be heavily impacted.

Residents of these areas are urged to check the major flood level modelling maps at disaster.noosa.qld.gov.au

Residents who plan to stay should move vehicles to higher ground and gather food and vital medication supplies to cover them for the next 24 to 48 hours, and be prepared for power outages.

Noosa Leisure Centre at Wallace Drive, Noosaville, is open as an Evacuation Centre, while Pomona’s Community House is a Place of Refuge.

If needing assistance, please call 0411 114 077.

Police Senior Sergeant Ben Carroll is asking motorists to stay away from the low lying areas. “It is a no go zone unless you live in the area,” he said.

Flood waters on Sunshine Coast. Bradman avenue resident Allen Davies watches as the Maroochy River rises. Picture: Brad Fleet

Rapid river and creek level rises have been observed along the Maroochy, Noosa and Coochin Creek catchments and their tributaries.

Vast parts of the region were under water on Saturday as the weather bureau warned major flood levels for the Maroochy and Noosa Rivers could soon exceed those experienced in 1992.

The weather bureau said Tewantin may exceed 1.81m, Dunethin Rock the 1992 major flood level of 4.40m and Picnic Point at Maroochydore 1.91m.

Lake Macdonald Dam in the Noosa hinterland is spilling at more than 156 per cent capacity, Baroon Pocket Dam is at 115 per cent capacity, Borumba at 142 per cent, Ewen Maddock at almost 140 per cent and Wappa at 120 per cent.

Sunshine Coast mayor Mark Jamieson has residents to continue to stay safe and stay home as recovery efforts begin.

“The weather has improved, however we’re not out of the woods just yet,” Mr Jamieson said.

“Showers and wind are forecast for today and while river levels will continue to drop over the next 24 hours high tides will still impact neighbouring roads and property.

“Please keep safety your number one priority and stay away from flood waters.

“We’ve experienced minor flooding in some areas, with moderate to major flooding in other areas, including the Mooloolah River which reached 4.7 metres this morning and may peak at 4.8 metres as water continues to move down the system.

“Following today’s high tide, water levels should begin to drop and will hopefully return to normal levels over the next day or two.

“Many roads are still closed and we are repairing and opening roads as soon as possible. If you see any hazards, please report them to council.

“The hard work starts now in terms of recovery and will continue over the coming weeks.”

Lees Rd in Bridges has been impacted by storm damage. Picture: Sunshine Coast Council

Motorists are urged to stay off the roads, unless for essential purposes.

Evacuation centres remain open for people in need at the Nambour Showgrounds and the University of the Sunshine Coast stadium.

All Sunshine Coast beaches will be closed today, due to dangerous weather and surf conditions.

Energex reported approximately 3000 homes without power in Caloundra, Nambour, Maleny, Kenilworth. Conditions are challenging and residents are asked to be patient while Energex crews undertake the slow and safe restoration.

Meanwhile, Sunshine Coast waste collection services will recommence today and many Resource Recovery Centres will reopen today, however Nambour and Kenilworth will remain closed due to site conditions.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast, Noosa residents prepare for more flooding as heavy rain continues