Man's body found in Queensland creek as days of heavy rain flood rivers and roads
A man's body was found in Smothering Creek at Boompa, on Queensland's Fraser Coast, on Monday, 26 October. Emergency services were called to the creek shortly after 11am after reports that a man had been found unresponsive. Queensland Police said he was declared dead and that officers will prepare a report for the coroner, the official who examines deaths.
The death comes at the end of several days of heavy rain. Torrential downpours between Thursday and Monday left many rivers and roads flooded across the state's south and east, according to The Guardian. Flash flooding hit Laidley Creek and Glenore Grove in the Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane, and closed some roads.
Rainfall totals in the four days to early Monday were among the highest recorded in the state. Blackdown Tableland, near Rockhampton, recorded 439.4 millimetres. Lower Springbrook, near the Gold Coast, recorded 325.2 millimetres, Nambour, near the Sunshine Coast, recorded 314.2 millimetres, and Brooweena, inland of K'gari, recorded 299.6 millimetres.
In the state's south-east, emergency crews also rescued campers. Campers stranded by floodwaters at a public campground in Leyburn, in the Southern Downs, were brought out on Monday morning. Queensland Fire and Rescue Swiftwater crews responded at 7.45am and completed the rescues around 11.15am. Three men aged 71, 47 and 26, and two women aged 68 and 26, were rescued without incident and with no reported physical injuries.
Flood warnings remained in place on Monday for several waterways. These included Warrill Creek and the Bremer River in the Lockyer Valley, the Macintyre and Moonie rivers in the south, and the Mary River near the Sunshine Coast. In the west, warnings were current for the Warrego River at Charleville, the Bulloo River at Quilpie and the Barcoo River at Blackall.
The Bureau of Meteorology, Australia's national weather agency, has issued a Moderate Flood Warning for the Warrego River. The bureau said areas of heavy rainfall had been recorded across the Warrego catchment, the land that drains into the river. It has scheduled its next Warrego River flood warning for issue by 11:00 AM AEST on Tuesday, 27 October.
