Six-hour mission rescues 34 people trapped on a bus in Queensland floodwaters

Saturday, 7 March 2026 09:31

Unrelenting rainfall in parts of the state saw paddocks sodden and left roads under water due to a tropical low, with more wet weather still to come.

Thirty-four people have been rescued in a mammoth six-hour mission after a bus became stranded in floodwaters near Gladstone in Queensland.

Unrelenting rainfall in parts of the state saw paddocks sodden and left roads under water due to a tropical low.

The Bureau of Meteorology's senior meteorologist Harry Clark said the moisture from the system was dragged across much of central and south-eastern Queensland and warned there was more to come.

"Overnight we saw several pockets of heavy rainfall along the Queensland coast," Clark said.

"That did lead to quite significant flash flooding."

Heavy rains have swept through much of central Queensland with Westwood Range south of Gladstone copping 246mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours.

Further north 195mm of rain fell near Bowen at Boundary Creek and 135mm drenched Mackay.

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Moisture from a tropical low was dragged across much of central and south-eastern Queensland.

The deluge kept emergency services on their toes with swift water teams saving 34 people from a bus surrounded by floodwaters near Miriam Vale at about 6.30am.

Meanwhile police rescued six people from three separate vehicles in less than five hours, after they became trapped in the torrents last night.

The rain also impacted roads into Whitsunday Airport, which was closed and all flights were cancelled.

In the state's far north, waters are starting to slowly recede.

Now, the attention of authorities has turned to the south-east and inland from tomorrow where residents in areas such as Roma, Toowoomba, Dalby, Kingaroy and Gainder can expect heavy rain.

"We have issued a separate severe weather warning," Clark said.

"We're likely to see between 50 to 200mm, depending on exactly where they are over the next few days."

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