It has been a wet weekend across south east Queensland.
Heavy rain lashed the region, impacting parts of the Wide Bay, south to the Cooloola Coast on Friday and Saturday morning.
Rainbow Beach and Tin Can Bay received more than 200mm of rain in 24 hours to 9am Saturday, while Tiaro recorded 112mm.
It led to flash flooding and road closures across the region, with one elderly woman needing to be rescued from floodwaters at Bauple, north of Gympie.
The 85-year-old’s vehicle was swept off a flooded causeway at Scrubby Creek Crossing on Bauple Drive around 3pm on Friday and became stuck up against a tree.
Tiaro officers had to remove their body worn camera and equipment vests to wade into flooded waters and rescue her.
The vehicle’s front doors were unable to be opened due to the tree and pressure from fast flowing flood waters so they pulled the woman out of the back driver’s side-door, before fitting her with a life jacket.
She was assisted to dry land, before the officers drove her home, safe and well.
Wide Bay Burnett District Inspector Paul Algie says it is a timely reminder to never take the risk with flood waters.
“This incident could have ended in tragedy and I applaud the officers involved for risking their lives to assist this driver so quickly,” Inspector Algie says.
“No matter how much water is over the road, you never know how deep it is or what dangers and damage are underneath – if it’s flooded, forget it.”
The weather system then tracked further south on Saturday, but remained offshore.
Gabriel Branescu from the Bureau of Meteorology says parts of the Sunshine Coast, including areas of the hinterland and Caloundra, received more than a 100mm of rain, before another 30 mill fell across the coast on Sunday.
“To the west of Maroochydore is Bellthorpe, they received the top amount of 131 millimetres and Maleny, 114mm [to 9am Sunday].”
Mr Branescu says there is more rain on the cards for Queensland in the coming days, with a system moving in from the west, bringing possibly severe storms to Central Queensland and the Wide Bay.
“Could be thunderstorms even affecting the Sunshine Coast…as well later in the day today, but they should be on the weakening trend with the main risk for severity mainly just around the Central parts.”
