16 Swift-Water Rescues in Queensland Floods
A cold front brings severe thunderstorms to four states after a week of record rainfall in the north.
By Isabel Moretti ·
More than 16 swift-water rescues were conducted by the Queensland fire department following a week of extreme rainfall. The emergency response included crews using a raft to reach an elderly man clinging to the roof of his vehicle in Caboolture.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued warnings for severe thunderstorms, heavy rain, and flash flooding across South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania. Nine flood warnings remained active for southern Queensland. Senior meteorologist David Crock stated that the system would extend across eastern Australia, with severe storms likely in wide parts of inland eastern regions.
Severe thunderstorms are forecast for central and eastern Queensland on Saturday. Locations include Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, the Sunshine Coast hinterlands, and Roma. In Victoria, parts of Melbourne's eastern suburbs may face severe storms. Central and eastern South Australia is also under threat. Tasmania expects heavy rain to develop overnight into Sunday morning.
A cold front will cross New South Wales on Sunday. This weather system is expected to bring severe thunderstorms to the west of the state, north-eastern Victoria, Sydney, and Brisbane. Crock noted that the threat of thunderstorms would span the entire eastern seaboard.
The current forecast follows a period of intense precipitation in Queensland. Several areas received more than double their average October rainfall over a few days. Crock described the conditions as typical of summer months like January or February, rather than the current season. The weather pattern persisted for seven to 10 days, drawing in large amounts of moisture across Queensland and northern New South Wales.
The Sunshine Coast hinterlands and Caboolture experienced flash flooding. Seven-day rainfall totals in these areas ranged between 300mm and 400mm, with some locations reaching 450mm. The heaviest falls occurred on Thursday, when torrential rain stretched from Caboolture south to the Border Ranges. Some places received well over 200mm of rain in that single day.
The downpour caused flash flooding, water rescues, and hundreds of calls for help to the State Emergency Service. Several schools were forced to close on Friday due to the weather conditions.
Source: The Guardian
