Queensland SES volunteer dies trying to rescue Coolana family as heavy rain hits state and NSW


A Queensland SES volunteer who was on his way to rescue a family stranded in flood waters has died as wild weather continues to batter the state and NSW. 

The volunteer was with three other SES personnel when they received a call from a family trapped in their home at Coolana, west of Brisbane, on Friday night.

The rescue team were headed on their way when their vehicle was swept off the road by flood waters.

The SES volunteer died while their three colleagues were later rescued. Forensic Crash Unit officers are investigating the incident.

The SES volunteer is one of two people to die overnight after a man’s body was discovered at Stones Corner, south of Brisbane, at 1.30am on Saturday. 

A family has been rescued by helicopter after their home went under while further flood warnings have been issued in Queensland and severe thunderstorms forecast for NSW. 

A Queensland SES volunteer who was on his way to rescue a family stranded in flood waters has died as wild weather continues to batter the state and NSW

A Queensland SES volunteer who was on his way to rescue a family stranded in flood waters has died as wild weather continues to batter the state and NSW

A family has been rescued by helicopter after their home was surrounded by floodwaters, as further warnings were issued in Queensland and severe thunderstorms are forecast for NSW

A family has been rescued by helicopter after their home was surrounded by floodwaters, as further warnings were issued in Queensland and severe thunderstorms are forecast for NSW

The family of five and their dog were retrieved by helicopter from their home in a regional area southwest of Gympie after it was cut off by rising waters in both directions on Friday afternoon.

The family guided rescuers from the Sunshine Coast RACQ LifeFlight Rescue using coordinates, and were rescued about 1.45pm.

It comes after Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said police were dealing with ‘literally hundreds of jobs’ on Friday afternoon.

‘The best thing our community can do to help us is to not go out in the weather, and to stay where it is safe,’ he said.

‘If it’s flooded, forget it.’

Residents in southeast Queensland are facing intense rain and life-threatening flash floods as one of the most severe weather systems in a decade pummels the region.

On Friday night the BOM issued a severe weather alert for the state’s southeast, including the Sunshine Coast, Lockyer Valley and Toowoomba.

Many of the catchments were ‘saturated’ with an ‘increased risk of dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding and landslides’ as intense rainfall remained possible.

The harsh weather is expected to continue throughout Saturday morning before the severe risk eases.

A major flood warning is in place for residents of Gympie, with the BOM warning the Mary River may exceed its February 1999 peak.

On Friday night the BOM issued a severe weather alert for the state's southeast, including the Sunshine Coast, Lockyer Valley and Toowoomba

 On Friday night the BOM issued a severe weather alert for the state’s southeast, including the Sunshine Coast, Lockyer Valley and Toowoomba

Many of the catchments were 'saturated' with an 'increased risk of dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding and landslides' as intense rainfall remained possible

Many of the catchments were ‘saturated’ with an ‘increased risk of dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding and landslides’ as intense rainfall remained possible

The river peaked at just under 22 metres during that event 23 years ago, and further heavy rainfall is forecast, after the catchment area reported more than 300mm in the last 24 hours.

On Friday, emergency services in Queensland responded to more than 1,000 events including 41 water-related jobs.

Wivenhoe Dam in southeast Queensland was also scheduled to begin releases late on Friday night, which is expected to flood bridges and crossings at downstream Twin Bridges, Savages Crossing, Burtons, Kholo Bridge and Colleges Crossing.

In NSW the body of a 54-year-old Matcham man was found in his vehicle in floodwaters on the Central Coast about 1.30am on Friday.

Emergency services were called to the area east of Gosford after reports a Toyota Landcruiser had gone missing at about midnight. A report is being prepared for the coroner.

Slow-moving thunderstorms are producing heavy rain in the state’s central west that could lead to flash flooding in multiple areas, the BoM NSW warned Friday afternoon, with Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Tumbarumba, Griffith, Narrandera and Cobar under threat.

Two men are seen trying to rescue a tradie stranded on his ute as flood waters ravaged Queensland

Two men are seen trying to rescue a tradie stranded on his ute as flood waters ravaged Queensland

A major flood warning is in place for residents of Gympie, with the BOM warning the Mary River may exceed its February 1999 peak

A major flood warning is in place for residents of Gympie, with the BOM warning the Mary River may exceed its February 1999 peak

On Friday, emergency services in Queensland responded to more than 1,000 events including 41 water-related jobs

On Friday, emergency services in Queensland responded to more than 1,000 events including 41 water-related jobs

The storm is being caused by a humid and unstable mass of air hovering across NSW’s southwest to northwest. An upper trough is aiding the instability, the BoM said.

A minor flood watch also remains in place for the Macleay River catchment on the Mid North Coast.

On Friday the NSW State Emergency Service said people had been ignoring flood warnings. Their volunteers had been involved in 36 flood rescues in the previous 24 hours.

The state is in the ‘midst of this emergency, with more rain still to come’ Daniel Austin, NSW SES Acting Commissioner, said.

‘By entering floodwaters you are placing yourself in immediate danger. The risk is real.

‘Dangers are still present.’

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