Chopper called to search for people lost in flood water new Toowoomba

Police have vowed to continue their land search until they find a man who was swept away by floodwater. A rescue chopper has now joined the search for the man.

Police hold out hope they will locate a Darling Downs man who was washed away in floodway near Pittsworth early Monday morning.

A large-scale search and rescue operation is under way after an empty vehicle was located in flood water near the intersection of Pittsworth-Clifton Road and Stirling Road.

The initial reports indicate two vehicles became stuck in floodwater as they crossed Spring Creek on Stirling Road about 6am on Monday.

The occupant of one vehicle, a woman, was saved by members of the public while the second vehicle was washed away.

A man aged in his 40s exited his van but was washed away.

Darling Country Patrol Group Acting Inspector Kim Hills said multiple police and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services crews are assisting with the search.

“We do urge that if anyone can give police or emergency services any information about this matter that they contact their nearest police station,” she said.

“All we can do is re-enforce that if it is flooded, forget it, back it up, do not take the chance of driving through roads that are flooded.”

While emergency services have located the vehicle, they are yet to lay eyes on the occupant.

Swift water rescue technicians are searching downstream of the incident site while several police and QFES crews search the land.

A/Insp Hill said the floodwater from Spring Creek had inundated a large area of farmland which has hampered the search.

“We are positive until we know otherwise,” she said.

“We will continue the land search until we find this man.”

Forensic Crash Unit investigator and Scene of Crime officers are assisting in the search, along with a LifeFlight rescue shopper.

“Please do not drive into flood waters,” A/Insp Hill said.

“It is not worth taking the chance and losing your life or the life of a person in the vehicle.”

Darling Downs Police have received eight calls to help people trapped in flood water since 6pm Sunday night.

“We are getting heavy rain in short spurts and we are going to have flash flooding,” A/Insp Hill said.

“If you are a local of the area and you are aware of where the flash flooding will occur, I would say stay home and be extremely cautious, particularly at night when you can’t really see the water on the road.”

The Pittsworth search comes after police confirmed the death of a man and several dogs at Kingsthorpe.

A Queensland Police Services spokesman confirmed crews attended the scene near Brimblecombe Road at Kingsthorpe just before 5am in relation to a vehicle with two occupants inside trapped in flood waters.

A woman was saved and taken to hospital in a stable condition for treatment.

The male passenger was located dead inside his ute, along with a number of dogs also found deceased.