Man and motorbike rider caught in Queensland floodwaters

RESCUE crews have saved a man who was clinging to a tree in floodwaters in southwest Queensland.

A motorcyclist has reportedly been washed away in floodwaters in Quilpie.

SES volunteers and Queensland Fire and Emergency Service crews have rescued the 51-year-old man who became trapped in floodwaters at Quilpie, west of Charleville, this afternoon.

Emergency crews used a boat provided by a bystander to access the man who was clinging to a tree surrounded by water.

He was then returned to shore to be assessed by paramedics.

He was not injured in the incident.

EARLIER

A MOTORCYCLE rider is believed to have been caught in floodwater in western Queensland, as some areas receive almost a month worth of rain in a day.

Emergency crews are on their way to the town of Quilpie, west of Charleville, after reports of a motorbike rider being washed away by floodwater.

By 9am this morning towns including Charleville, St George and Longreach reached their average June rainfall in just 24 hours.

Roma had the biggest downpour of rain, with 53mm of rain falling on the town last night and this morning.

Their June average rainfall is 28mm.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dan Narramore said the rain and storms were making their way to the southeast of the state.

“The trough is moving through to the southeast, however it’s rapidly weakening so we won’t see as much rain as out there,” he said.