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Heavy rain prompts evacuation alerts in Queensland as fires rage in Victoria Heavy rain prompts evacuation alerts in Queensland as fires rage in Victoria
(about 4 hours later)
Multiple rescues as police advise residents in Queensland’s west to enact emergency plans, while firefighters battle blazes in Victoria Rain eases in state’s southeast after teen rescued in Mareeba, while firefighters battle blazes in Victoria
A teenager is lucky to have survived being sucked into a drain by flood waters as a rain-hit state braces for more wet weather. A lucky escape by a teenager sucked into a drain has prompted a heartfelt plea to avoid flood waters as showers eased in a rain-hit region.
The 15-year-old boy was pulled into a stormwater drain in far north Queensland, prompting a warning from authorities with showers set to continue. Sunny skies were set to greet south-east Queensland after days of heavy showers caused flooding, power outages and damaged roads.
“It’s good news for folks in the south-east where some flooding is still ongoing after previous days of rainfall,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Miriam Bradbury said.
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However authorities have warned residents wading through the aftermath to use common sense after a number of flood water rescues.
Two people were caught in their vehicles near Murgon on Wednesday night after flooding hit the South Burnett region, cutting off roads and reportedly causing $250,000 in damage to the D’Aguilar and Western highways.
But the most fortunate escape was pulled off by a 15-year-old boy who was sucked into a far north Queensland stormwater drain on Tuesday.
Police on Thursday released footage of an officer arriving moments after the teen went missing in Mareeba as concerned children stood by the flooded drain.Police on Thursday released footage of an officer arriving moments after the teen went missing in Mareeba as concerned children stood by the flooded drain.
The boy luckily re-emerged a few streets away with cuts and grazes.The boy luckily re-emerged a few streets away with cuts and grazes.
The incident on Tuesday has prompted a plea for people to stay away from flood waters and not drive through submerged roads.The incident on Tuesday has prompted a plea for people to stay away from flood waters and not drive through submerged roads.
“We were lucky on that occasion that that boy came out with some scratches and bruises,” state disaster coordinator, Shane Chelepye said on Thursday. “We were lucky on that occasion that that boy came out with some scratches and bruises,” the state disaster coordinator, Shane Chelepy, said on Thursday.
“We do not want to see bad outcomes from kids playing in flood waters – you just do not know what is under that water.”“We do not want to see bad outcomes from kids playing in flood waters – you just do not know what is under that water.”
He said many people had already been rescued from flood waters, with police releasing video of passengers in submerged cars in Goldsborough in the far north. Chelepy said many people had already been rescued from flood waters, with police releasing video of passengers in submerged cars at Goldsborough in the state’s far north.
“We are only early in the season and we have already seen risky behaviour being undertaken with people driving through flood waters,” Chelepy said. “We are only early in the season and we have already seen risky behaviour being undertaken with people driving through flood waters,” he said.
In the state’s north, residents were preparing for torrential downpours with a storm system set to form off the coast. Flood waters had began to subside at South Burnett, north of Brisbane, with an emergency watch and act alert cancelled late on Thursday.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned a trough off the coast of Townsville would drift north from Thursday and linger for days. “Flash flooding has eased and the water is starting to go down. Obey all road signs and never drive through flood waters,” the police warning said.
Residents at Western Downs, west of Brisbane, were also waiting for flood waters to ease after at one stage being told to prepare to evacuate.
A major flood warning was issued downstream of the Logan River at Beaudesert, which was subsiding late on Thursday.
In the state’s north, residents were preparing for torrential downpours.
The BoM warned a trough and a tropical low was set to develop across northern and eastern parts of Queensland, particularly north of Mackay.
It was expected to bring widespread rain and thunderstorms, with possible heavy falls from Thursday night set to linger for days.
The bureau said it was unlikely the tropical low would develop into the season’s first cyclone, now a less than 5% chance.The bureau said it was unlikely the tropical low would develop into the season’s first cyclone, now a less than 5% chance.
Daily rainfall totals up to 60mm were forecast for the north on Thursday and up to 80mm on Friday, with heavier localised falls of up to 200mm predicted.Daily rainfall totals up to 60mm were forecast for the north on Thursday and up to 80mm on Friday, with heavier localised falls of up to 200mm predicted.
“Localised river level rises and flash flooding are likely within the areas of heaviest rainfall, with isolated minor riverine flooding possible,” the bureau said. It follows days of heavy rain across south-east Queensland that caused flooding, power outages and affected the Australia-India cricket Test at the Gabba.
Farther south, residents were waiting for flood waters to subside after being asked to prepare to evacuate in the Western Downs and South Burnett, west of Brisbane.
The Western Downs’ mayor, Andrew Smith, said the council was monitoring the situation in Jandowae, after the local dam started spilling overnight.
“We still have water coming into the dam. It is very much a watch and see,” he told ABC Radio earlier on Thursday.
A major flood warning was issued for downstream of the Logan River at Beaudesert, which was subsiding on Thursday afternoon.
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It follows days of heavy rain across southeast Queensland that caused flooding, power outages and affected the Australia-India cricket Test at the Gabba.
The State Emergency Service received 145 calls for help in the last 24 hours, with 25 of those in Brisbane and another 23 farther north in the Moreton Bay region.The State Emergency Service received 145 calls for help in the last 24 hours, with 25 of those in Brisbane and another 23 farther north in the Moreton Bay region.
The SES said the majority were for sandbagging and tarping with 10% for felled trees. The SES said the majority were for sandbagging and tarping, with 10% for felled trees.
BoM senior meteorologist Steve Hadley said Brisbane had likely seen the back of several days of heavy rain, but the northern part of the state – north of St Lawrence – still faced the risk of heavy rainfall on Thursday. Meanwhile in Victoria, firefighters continued to battle blazes across the state on Thursday.
“And then tomorrow, the area where we could see some possibly heavy rainfall just sort of contracts a little bit northwards away from Mackay and into mainly northern Queensland,” Hadley said.
There was also the risk of a broad trough forming into a tropical low over the next 24 hours, but the bureau believed it has a low chance of forming a tropical cyclone.
It came as two vehicles were caught up in flash flooding west of Brisbane on Wednesday night.
A man, a woman and a child were rescued by a Queensland Fire and Rescue crew after the vehicles were inundated on the Murgon-Gayndah Road in Merlwood, at about 7.30pm.
The cars, about 50m apart from each other, were reportedly hit by the same sudden flash flood, but the water had subsided sufficiently to allow them to be walked to higher ground.
Meanwhile, firefighters continued to battle blazes across Victoria on Thursday.
VicEmergency issued a watch and act message for the Grampians, Mirranatwa, Victoria Valley and Jimmy Creek areas, in the west of the state.VicEmergency issued a watch and act message for the Grampians, Mirranatwa, Victoria Valley and Jimmy Creek areas, in the west of the state.
A bushfire burning in the Grampians national park was not yet under control on Thursday morning, with residents asked to prepare to leave. A bushfire burning in the Grampians national park was not yet under control on Thursday morning, with residents told to prepare to leave.