Queensland Police Investigate Man's Death in Smothering Creek After Record Rain
Six campers were also rescued from a flooded campground in the Southern Downs as the state recorded 439.4mm of rainfall in four days.
By Priya Singh ·
Queensland police have opened an investigation into the death of a man found in Smothering Creek on the Fraser Coast. The body was located at Boompa Road on Monday morning, shortly after 11am, when emergency services responded to reports of an unresponsive individual. Officers declared the man dead at the scene. The death is under review, and police will submit a report to the coroner.
The fatality is the first confirmed loss of life linked to a prolonged storm system that battered the state from Thursday through Monday. Torrential rainfall caused widespread flooding across the south and east of Queensland, submerging roads and trapping residents in vehicles and campgrounds. On Monday, police reported flash flooding in the Lockyer Valley, specifically at Laidley Creek and Glenore Grove, which forced the closure of several roads west of Brisbane.
Further south, six campers were stranded at a public campground in Leyburn within the Southern Downs region. Queensland Fire and Rescue Swiftwater crews received the call for assistance at 7.45am on Monday. By 11.15am, the team had extracted three men, aged 71, 47, and 26, and two women, aged 68 and 26. Police stated that all six individuals were safe and no physical injuries were reported.
Rainfall totals for the four-day period set records in several areas. Blackdown Tableland, near Rockhampton, recorded the highest total at 439.4mm. Other significant accumulations included 325.2mm at Lower Springbrook near the Gold Coast, 314.2mm in Nambour near the Sunshine Coast, and 299.6mm in Brooweena inland of K'gari. These figures reflect the intensity of the weather event that disrupted travel and daily life across the state.
Meteorologist Angus Hines described the atmospheric conditions as unusual. He noted that widespread rain bands, heavy cloud cover, and cooler temperatures were driven by activity in the upper atmosphere. On Sunday evening, a fast-moving system linked thunderstorms from southern Queensland to Bass Strait. Hines said the steering wind that propelled the system tapered off overnight over the Darling Downs.
Flood warnings remained active for several waterways as of Monday. These include 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. Western Queensland also faced alerts for the Warrego River at Charleville, the Bulloo River at Quilpie, and the Barcoo River at Blackall.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecast a return to typical spring weather patterns as the week progresses. Hot and humid conditions are expected to give way to subdued afternoon showers and storms.
Source: The Guardian
