Flash flooding disrupted roads and school schedules across southeast Queensland on Oct. 22-23; separately, Bureau of Meteorology data put Beerburrum’s October rain at 354.2 mm by 7 p.m. ET Oct. 22 (9 a.m. AEST Oct. 23).
That total exceeded the station’s previous October high of 311.5 mm, set in 1972. The Bureau’s climate table lists 80 years of available data for the station, beginning in 1898. In the 24 hours ending 7 p.m. ET Oct. 21 (9 a.m. AEST Oct. 22), Beerburrum recorded 170.8 mm. Toowoomba Airport recorded 42.6 mm over the same period.
ABC News reported that Caboolture received 203 mm over a six-hour period on Oct. 22. The outlet also reported that its reporter Will Murray and local resident Daniel Hainey swam to a stalled four-wheel drive on Buchanan Road in Morayfield and pulled the driver to safety. Weatherzone attributed the heavy rain to converging moisture streams, troughs and a slow-moving upper-level low.
ABC reported that eight schools remained closed Friday. The State Emergency Service had responded to more than 540 call-outs since Thursday, and Chris Stream, deputy commissioner of disaster and emergency management, said the Queensland Fire Department had carried out more than 16 swift-water rescues. Stream warned that floodwater could sweep away even large vehicles.
The City of Moreton Bay said parts of central Moreton Bay received more than 100 mm of rain in about three hours on Oct. 22. The council said a forecast issued the previous day fell short of the threshold for opening sandbag stations, while the eventual rainfall was much heavier.
Seqwater said releases from North Pine Dam began at 9 a.m. ET Thursday (11 p.m. AEST Oct. 22). It said the releases, combined with downstream river and creek flows, flooded and closed Youngs Crossing Road. The Queensland Government’s disaster information page said showers and thunderstorms were expected to continue across parts of the state over the weekend.
