May 21 Severe Weather Update
05/21/2009
A severe weather warning remains current for flash flooding, damaging winds, abnormally high tides, and dangerous surf for people in the Southeast Coast District, and the far south east Darling Downs and Granite Belt district.
In the past 24 hours rain fall of more than 100mm has been recorded at Amberley, Beerburrum and Coolangatta.
State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers are continuing to respond to around 1725 requests for assistance today due to heavy rainfall across South East Queensland.
The affected area stretches from Noosa south to the Queensland border. A small number of jobs have been recorded around Toowoomba.
Almost 400 SES volunteers have been involved in response activities since the weather event began.
The State Emergency Service has received more than 360 requests for assistance in the Brisbane City area and surrounds. These jobs are in response to leaking roofs and sandbagging.
Ipswich and the Gold Coast have also received a high concentration of jobs with more than 320 and 225 respectively.
Ninety elderly people at an aged care facility in Caloundra were relocated to their dining room from units overnight, following the threat of rising water.
Rain has now eased on the Sunshine Coast, and more than 25 SES volunteers from the North Coast Region have arrived in Brisbane Region to assist in response efforts throughout the area.
Emergency services have also been involved in many swift water rescues from vehicles swept away by floodwaters overnight and this morning. These rescues have occurred throughout the State.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) swift water crews responded to a rescue at Gregory Street, Acacia Ridge around 4.45am. A man was stranded in a flooded waterway and was standing on the roof of his car. He was rescued by swift water crews by 5.30am and was not injured in the incident.
Swift water crews also responded to the corner of Blunder and Boundary Roads, Oxley at 5.25am to rescue a person from a car trapped in floodwaters. The occupant was safely removed from their vehicle by swift water rescue technicians and was unharmed.
On the Sunshine Coast at Bokarina, a woman was rescued from her car on Bluebird Parade at about 9pm.
Shortly after 6pm, crews attended two incidents at Goodna Road, Greenbank where cars had entered floodwaters. A male stuck in one of the vehicles managed to get himself out and reached an embankment before his car washed away. Swift water rescue crews were required to assist another male, in a different vehicle.
At Mt Crosby, crews responded just after 8pm to a man reportedly trapped in his vehicle on Lake Manchester Road, however he was out of the car on arrival.
Nine lives have been lost in Queensland during flooding events in recent months and Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) urges pedestrians and motorists not to risk their lives by taking chances with floodwaters. EMQ advises that people should take every measure to be safe by:
• Not driving, walking or riding through flood waters;
• Being aware of fallen trees and powerlines and reporting fallen powerlines to Energex immediately on 13 62 62;
• If near the coastline, staying well away from the water's edge; and
• For flood-related emergencies, contact the SES on 132 500. For life-threatening emergencies, contact 000.
Contact: For more information contact Emergency Services Media on 07 3247 8186.
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