Queensland records 439.4mm rainfall as one man dies in creek
Emergency crews rescued six stranded campers while a rare weather system dumped record precipitation on the state over four days.
By Lucas Collins ·
Queensland police declared a man dead in Smothering Creek on Boompa Road shortly after 11:00 am on Monday. Officers responded to reports of an unresponsive individual in the water on the Fraser Coast. An investigation has begun, and authorities will submit a report to the coroner.
Further south in the Southern Downs region, floodwaters stranded six campers at a public campground in Leyburn. Queensland Fire and Rescue Swiftwater crews arrived at 7:45 am to answer the call for help. By 11:15 am, the team had brought three men, aged 71, 47, and 26, and two women, aged 68 and 26, to safety. Police confirmed that no physical injuries were reported during the extraction.
The state experienced torrential rain from Thursday through Monday. This weather pattern flooded rivers and closed roads across the south and east. On Monday, flash flooding at Laidley Creek and Glenore Grove in the Lockyer Valley forced the closure of several routes west of Brisbane.
Rainfall totals reached historic levels in several locations during the four-day period. Blackdown Tableland near Rockhampton recorded 439.4mm, the highest total in the state. Lower Springbrook near the Gold Coast measured 325.2mm, while Nambour near the Sunshine Coast recorded 314.2mm. Brooweena, located inland from K'gari, accumulated 299.6mm.
Meteorologist Angus Hines characterized the system as unusual due to widespread rain bands and cooler temperatures. He explained that the storms were driven by atmospheric conditions in the higher levels. A fast-moving storm band connected southern Queensland to Bass Strait on Sunday evening before moving toward the east coast. Hines noted that the steering wind tapered off overnight over the Darling Downs.
Active flood warnings remain in place for multiple waterways. Current alerts cover 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 also maintains alerts for the Warrego River at Charleville, the Bulloo River at Quilpie, and the Barcoo River at Blackall.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts a shift to typical spring patterns as the week progresses. Hot and humid conditions are expected to give way to more subdued afternoon showers and storms.
Source: The Guardian
