Queensland’s South Burnett region was hit by intense storms on Monday evening, with 119 millimetres of rain falling in just two hours.
Emergency services were stretched as the SES responded swiftly to the damages.
According to South Burnett Mayor Kathy Duff, a dramatic two-hour rescue unfolded at Taabinga, near Kingaroy, where a person was trapped in a sedan and was saved by Queensland Fire Department teams.
Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The National Briefing – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:
Kingaroy and surrounding areas experienced “pretty extreme rainfall,” with Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Rod Dickson confirming a record December rainfall of 149 millimetres within 24 hours.
Flash flooding also impacted Toowoomba, while parts of Hervey Bay recorded 150–180 millimetres overnight.
Heavy rains also affected Dalby, which saw 68 millimetres in two hours, and Saddle Creek, southwest of Rolleston, with 62 millimetres in an hour.
“There’s been a massive amount of flooding … with SES working around the clock,” Ms Duff said.
She urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
“We’re asking people to stay off the roads if they possibly can and if they need to, to be very, very careful driving around,” she added.
The weather system responsible is moving offshore, but experts said the risk of heavy rainfall would remain for Tuesday afternoon.
This marks the second time the region has faced flash flooding this month, with significant road damage already under repair.
Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on LiSTNR today. The Briefing serves up the latest news and deep dives on topics affecting you, all in under 20 minutes.