Man dies in Smothering Creek as record rain floods Queensland
A four-day weather system dumped 439.4mm on the Blackdown Tableland, stranding six campers and closing roads across the state's south and east.
By Mariam Darwish ·
A man died in flood waters on the Fraser Coast of Queensland after a prolonged storm system battered the state from Thursday through Monday. Emergency services located the unresponsive man in Smothering Creek at Boompa shortly after 11:00 a.m. on Monday. Police confirmed his death and opened an investigation, with a report destined for the coroner.
The rainfall totals were extreme for the region. The Blackdown Tableland near Rockhampton recorded 439.4 mm of rain from Thursday to early Monday. Lower Springbrook near the Gold Coast received 325.2 mm, while Nambour near the Sunshine Coast logged 314.2 mm. Brooweena, situated inland from K'gari, measured 299.6 mm over the same period.
In the Southern Downs region, swift water crews from Queensland Fire and Rescue rescued six campers stranded at a public campground in Leyburn. The call for help came at 7:45 a.m. on Monday. By 11:15 a.m., crews had safely extracted three men, aged 71, 47, and 26, and two women, aged 68 and 26. Police reported no physical injuries to the group.
The heavy rain caused widespread disruption. Flash flooding closed several roads in the Lockyer Valley west of Brisbane, specifically at Laidley Creek and Glenore Grove. Many rivers and roads across the southern and eastern parts of the state remained inundated as of Monday.
Meteorologist Angus Hines identified the driving force behind the severe weather as unusual atmospheric conditions. He noted that widespread rain bands, dense cloud cover, and cooler temperatures were fueled by activity in the higher parts of the atmosphere. On Sunday evening, a fast-moving system linked thunderstorms from southern Queensland to Bass Strait before the steering winds tapered off over the Darling Downs.
Flood warnings remain active for several waterways. These include Warrill Creek and the Bremer River in the Lockyer Valley, the Macintyre and Moonie rivers in the south, and the Mary River near the Sunshine Coast. Western Queensland is also on alert, with warnings issued for the Warrego River at Charleville, the Bulloo River at Quilpie, and the Barcoo River at Blackall.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecast that conditions would shift toward typical spring patterns as the week progresses. Hot and humid days are expected to transition into more subdued afternoon showers and storms.
Source: The Guardian
