A severe weather warning has been issued for the already-battered Gold Coast and Scenic Rim areas, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning of localised intense rainfall and the possibility of life-threatening flash flooding on New Year’s Day.
Large parts of Queensland’s south-east are on alert for heavy rain from a slow-moving thunderstorm, with isolated 24-hourly rainfall totals of more than 250 millimetres possible.
The Bureau has extended its warning area as far north as Gympie.
Upper Springbrook copped 389mm of rain in 24 hours to 9am on New Year’s Day, while Wongawallan recorded 119mm in just two hours.
Little Nerang Dam recorded 276mm in 24 hours, with 264mm falling at Hotham Creek near Pimpama and 215mm at Binna Burra.
Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen encouraged residents to shelter in place, with several roads in the council area closed due to flooding.
“It’s clear that there will be instability from such an intense event,” he said.
“That just runs the risk of more things coming down, landslips coming down, we don’t want people caught in dangerous places because that just creates another need for a response.”
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) have already been called to “multiple flood-related incidents” today.
Flood warnings have been issued for the Nerang and Coomera Rivers, with creek level rises also observed around the Mudgeeraba, Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks.
The Bureau predicts rapid rises will continue for the Pimpama, Nerang and Coomera Rivers during periods of intense rainfall, which are forecast to continue for the next day or two.
Thousands of homes remain without power from storms on Christmas Day, with many warned they could be in the dark for several more days as ongoing bad weather hampers restoration works.
City of Gold Coast local disaster coordinator Mark Ryan said the Mudgeeraba community recovery hub was forced to close on Monday morning due to surrounding roads being impacted by flooding, with people being redirected to the Nerang Bicentennial Centre.
“While we’re continuing to plan our recovery for some of these areas, we’re really just asking people to limit their movement over the city for the next 24 hours,” he said.
QFES confirmed two different campsites were evacuated along the Nerang-Murwillumbah Road on the Scenic Rim on Monday morning.
Fourteen people were evacuated from a site at Numinbah Valley around 5:30am after they were isolated by rising flood waters.
A QFES spokesperson said all campers were safe and well.
“Dozens” of campers were also evacuated from a site at Natural Bridge at around 7:30am — nobody was injured or required treatment.
(ABC)
