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 Worst floods in 30 years hit Queensland 

Worst floods in 30 years hit Queensland

21 May, 2009 12:35 PM
The worst floods in 30 years have hit Queensland, killing one man in a freak accident but also filling dams throughout the States south-east.

The rain is now spreading into northern NSW.

A man was killed by an imploding window yesterday during a freak wind storm on the Gold Coast.

Paramedics said the 46-year-old was hit in the chest by flying shards of glass when the window blew in at a building in Surfers Paradise.

The man was taken to the Gold Coast Hospital but later died.

Police said the window blew in around 3.45pm yesterday on a building in Enderley Avenue at Surfers Paradise.

Tables, chairs and even barbecues were blown off the top of high rise buildings in Surfers Paradise and Southport.

Furniture and debris were spotted blowing through the streets of Surfers Paradise and police said conditions were so bad even their emergency vehicles had trouble reaching the scene of incidents.

But the flooding rain over South East Queensland has been so widespread that it has affected the major dams with the heaviest falls in five years, about 100 millimetres in 24 hours.

Total storage is at its highest level in five years, rising above 62 per cent, jumping 3.4pc since Tuesday and expected to rise further.

In the 24 hours to 9am yesterday, Strathpine, on the fringes of North Pine Dam amassed 206mm, its highest 24 hour total in at least 34 years.

Both Somerset and Wivenhoe dams picked up their highest rainfall in five years with 148mm and 94mm respectively.

According to WeatherZone, a further 50-150mm has fallen on Brisbane and surrounds since 9am yesterday.

Further the west, the rain has been lighter with the Darling Downs receiving between 15mm and 30mm generally, and up to 50mm at Stanthorpe since 9am yesterday.

WeatherZone says This amount of rain is unusual at this time of year, with the heaviest downpours usually occurring from December to March.

It's been at least 73 years since Somerset Dam recorded this much rain in a May day, and it's been 13 years for Wivenhoe.

Rain over the region will turn to infrequent showers on Friday before clearing early next week.

But north eastern New South Wales is now the target of heavy, flooding rain and damaging winds with falls in excess of 200mm and gusts stronger than 100km/h expected in the next 24 to 48 hours.

The heaviest rain will be in the far northeast, including places such as Lismore, Grafton, Casino, Tweed heads and Byron Bay, where 200mm is likely and 300mm is possible.

Falls up to about 100mm will extend to Glen Innes and Coffs Harbour.

On Wednesday, winds gusted 117km/h on the Gold Coast and about 70mm of rain fell in Murwillumbah, on the Tweed River.

A low pressure system forming off the southeast Queensland coast will be the main driver of this heavy rain, very strong winds and also dangerous surf.

The peak of the rain, wind and surf is likely to occur, later on today as the low gets near the coast before heading inland.

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