South-east Queensland is bracing for a second day of heavy rain, as a slow-moving trough sweeps across the state and into northern New South Wales today.
The warnings comes as the search for a missing motorbike rider, feared swept away in a flash flood, continues around Gympie this morning.
So far, authorities have located the motorbike, helmet and backpack of the 54-year-old local who is believed not to have seen the fast moving floodwaters at Cedar Pocket.
Queensland Police Superintendent Craig Hawkins told Today they have serious concerns for the man’s safety.
“We will commence searching again this morning,” he said.
“The circumstances were last night that we couldn’t searching. We will commence again today.
“We found some of the gentleman’s belongings yesterday afternoon and unfortunately we’re really concerned for his safety.”
Gympie yesterday received the state’s heaviest amount of rainfall — around 300 mm of rain drenched the area, causing the nearby Mary River to swell.
Queensland Police Inspector Patrick Swindells have called the conditions that hit the region in Queensland’s Wide Bay-Burnett district “horrific”.
“It was a very large dump on water in a very small amount of time,” he said.
“There’s all likelihood that he didn’t see the flooding waters and has become disabled or washed away.”
There are fears parts of the town will be completely cut off as the river is expected to peak at 13 metres this morning.
The search comes after a woman in her 60s was found dead in a submerged car at at Belli Park on the Sunshine Coast yesterday.
The Gold Coast was also hard hit, with heavy rain claiming parks and roads.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) are urging residents in the two states to remain on alert as a slow moving trough moves across the east coast.
A severe weather warning is in place for northern NSW with people in the Northern Rivers and parts of Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands Forecast Districts most affected.
