Man found dead in Queensland creek as days of storms and flooding hit the state
Police have begun an investigation after a man's body was found in flood waters on the Fraser Coast, while six campers were rescued further south.
By News Media House Staff ·
A man has been found dead in flood waters in Queensland, as an unusual weather system brought repeated storms and days of heavy rain to parts of Australia.
Emergency services were called to a creek at Boompa, on the Fraser Coast, shortly after 11am on Monday following reports that a man had been found unresponsive. Queensland police said he was declared dead after being located in Smothering Creek on Boompa Road. An investigation into the death has started, and police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Further south, six campers were rescued after flood waters left them stranded at a public campground in Leyburn, in the Southern Downs region. Queensland Fire and Rescue Swiftwater crews responded to the call for help at 7.45am on Monday. At about 11.15am they brought three men, aged 71, 47 and 26, and two women, aged 68 and 26, to safety without incident. Police said there were no reports of physical injuries.
Torrential rain fell across Queensland from Thursday to Monday, leaving many rivers and roads flooded across the south and east of the state. Warnings of further rain and flooding remain in place. On Monday, police reported flash flooding at Laidley Creek and Glenore Grove in the Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane, which closed some roads.
The heaviest four-day totals were recorded in several parts of the state. Blackdown Tableland, near Rockhampton, received 439.4mm in the period to early Monday. Lower Springbrook, near the Gold Coast, recorded 325.2mm, while Nambour, near the Sunshine Coast, received 314.2mm. Brooweena, inland of K'gari, recorded 299.6mm.
Meteorologist Angus Hines described the system behind the rain as unusual. "The widespread rain bands with heaps of cloud cover, much cooler temperatures, and then the storms in that situation are really driven by what's going on in the higher parts of the atmosphere," he said.
On Sunday evening, thunderstorms were briefly linked from southern Queensland all the way to Bass Strait, as a fast-moving system travelled towards the east coast. The storm band crossed most states, pushed along by strong winds high in the atmosphere. Hines said that steering wind tapered off overnight over the Darling Downs.
Flood warnings are current for 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 remains on alert, with warnings for the Warrego River at Charleville, the Bulloo River at Quilpie and the Barcoo River at Blackall.
The Bureau of Meteorology said conditions were expected to return to more typical spring patterns as the week continues. Hot and humid days are forecast to give way to more subdued afternoon showers and storms.
Originally published by News Media House · Source: The Guardian
