Cars swamped as heaviest rain in 20 years hits parts of south-east Queensland
More than half a dozen Queensland rivers are under flood warnings after the first summer storms of the year pounded parts of the state.
Streets were inundated and cars swept away across Brisbane and the Gold Coast at the weekend as everywhere north of Cairns sweltered under a heatwave warning.
Flash flooding in Brisbane left Roma Street unrecognisable as suburbs across the city quickly went under.
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Streets were inundated and cars swept away across Brisbane and the Gold Coast at the weekend. 9News
The water drowned cars in Coorparoo, Woolloongabba and Stones Corner as Rosalie copped 70 millimetres in just an hour, and Holland Park recorded 33 millimetres in the same period.
Patrons were left stranded as the Norman Hotel car park went under water, while waves lapped the streets in West End, flooding businesses such as cocktail bar Come to Daddy.
"It just came up fast and it was a real shock," owner Billerwell Daye said.
"We're cleaning up now so hopefully we can open in a couple of hours."
Some parts of the south-east had their wettest December day for 20 years and the Lockyer Valley further west was also drenched.
On Saturday night, the Gold Coast copped the worst of the wild weather, with emergency crews called into action for a midnight rescue.
They freed five people trapped at Mudgeeraba.
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More than half a dozen Queensland rivers are under flood warnings after the first summer storms of the year pounded parts of the state. 9News
The water drowned cars in Coorparoo, Woolloongabba and Stones Corner 9News
Throughout Sunday, river rapids cut off streets, submerged golf courses and swamped farm land and isolated homes as torrents swept through backyards,
Upper Springbrook was smashed with almost 270 millimetres as water spilled down Tamborine Mountain, causing the Hinze Dam to overflow.
Roads were swamped across the hinterland with one couple admitting they were "lucky to be alive".
"My partner was driving and she didn't see the flood waters at all, just come into it and it was just off the edge," the car owner said.
Roads were swamped across the hinterland with one couple admitting they were "lucky to be alive". 9News
Authorities reissued their regular warning not to drive through floodwaters.
"floodwaters can be very powerful. It really doesn't take much water, as little as 15 centimetres or so can be enough to float your car and push it off the road or the bridge," Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Shane Kennedy said.
The Logan and Albert rivers remained under a flood warning with a peak expected this morning (MONDAY) as the water began to recede along the Nerang and Coomera rivers.
In other parts of the state, the Bremer, Moonie, Warregoo, Paroo, Bulloo and Lower Barcoo rivers were also under flood warnings overnight.
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