Mother dies in Queensland floods

BY MARISSA CALLIGEROS

A mother-of-four is the second person to drown in flash floods in Queensland after torrential rain hit the Australian state on Saturday night.

Yesterday afternoon's tragedy near Rockhampton followed a fatality south of Toowoomba last night when a 14-year-old boy was swept away by floodwaters.

The 47-year-old mother, whose four children escaped the flash flood, was swept away by the surging waters at a popular swimming hole, south of Rockhampton.

Twenty-one people who were stranded at the Bouldercombe Gorge Resources Reserve were pulled from the surging waters by swift water rescue crews from 3.40pm.

Police later confirmed the woman was found dead.

The gorge, which boasts a waterfall, is frequented by locals after heavy rainfall in the region, but a Department of Community Safety spokesman said the swimmers had been caught in the late thunderstorm.

"A large and sudden storm came through which has dumped a lot of water and they've been caught by surprise by the flow of the water from the storms,'' the spokesman said.

A Rescue 300 helicopter and State Emergency Services volunteers helped search for the mother-of-four yesterday afternoon.

Elsewhere, the SES and Queensland Fire and Rescue Service swift water rescue crews have been stretched to the limit, as more than 30 people needed to be pulled from raging floodwaters across South-East Queensland in the 24 hours to 7pm last night (local time).

But the teenager swept away by floodwaters south of Toowoomba last night could not be saved, as thunderstorms wreaked havoc across the south-east corner.

The 14-year-old boy died in floodwaters at Junction View about 8.20pm on Sunday night when the car he was travelling in, with two others, was swept away by a torrent of water on Black Duck Creek Road.

The trio managed to escape the flooded car, but it is understood the teenager was swept away as he tried to swim to safety.

Police found the young teenager's body downstream just before midnight.

An unstable surface trough has dumped more than 100 millimetres of rain over Brisbane over the weekend, although areas south of the city including Logan, Beenleigh and the Gold Coast were hardest hit.

State Emergency Services received 172 calls for help, 101 of which came from Gold Coast residents seeking sand bags and temporary roof repairs.

More than 12,000 homes and businesses were blacked out across the south-east corner at the height of Saturday night's storms.

Energex has managed to restore power to all but 343 customers in Banyo, Northgate and on the Gold Coast.

"Access to flood-affected areas is hindering the remaining restoration efforts, with crews waiting for water levels to recede before repairs can be undertaken," Energex spokesman Bill Lyon said.

Despite the downpour Brisbane residents were treated to a spectacular light show, with Energex recording 1200 lightning strikes over the south-east.

The Gold Coast hinterland has recorded the heaviest falls over the weekend, with the suburb of Clagiraba, 25 kilometres west of Surfers Paradise, receiving 415 millimetres.

Swift water rescue crews were called to five incidents in the Gold Coast hinterland after cars became stranded in floodwaters.

Meanwhile, the RSPCA has sent emergency crews to the Gold Coast hinterland following reports of livestock losses, and have warned farmers to move animals to higher ground.

Mt Tamborine recorded 372 millimetres, Canungra 366 millimetres and Benobble 343 millimetres, with the worst of the deluge falling within just four hours early yesterday morning.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood warning for the Albert River, running from the Gold Coast to Beenleigh and Beaudesert.

The heaviest falls in Brisbane were recorded at Eight Mile Plains [149 millimetres] and Wishart [132 millimetres].

Toowong has received 113 millimetres, while Geebung and Apsley on the northside received 102 millimetres and 109 millimetres respectively.

Police have urged motorists not to attempt to drive through flooded roadways.

- Brisbane Times