Australia Weather News

An emergency watch and act alert has been issued for the Sunshine Coast after intense overnight rainfall caused flash flooding. 

Multiple people have been rescued from their cars and flood warnings have been issued for the hinterland region after the hinterland copped a massive overnight downpour.

A total of 457 millimetres of rain was recorded at Diamond Valley since yesterday morning, while Nambour, Woombye, Palmwoods and Eudlo received more than 350mm.

Nambour has now broken the March rainfall record with data going back to 1893.

Dozens of roads around Nambour, Palmwoods, Beerwah and Yandina are flooded and closed with authorities warning people to move to higher ground, avoid driving unless necessary, and not to drive through floodwaters.

Towing company boss Mike Clayton rescued a couple stranded just outside his depot in Nambour early this morning.

Mr Clayton said the car hit the water and began floating away.

"A few people were stuck inside, couldn't get the doors open, the windows wouldn't go down," he said.

"We were trying to smash the windows to get them out of the car, and we ended up getting inside the car and carrying them out.

"The look on their faces … is definitely a look you don't forget too quickly."

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said there were 17 swift water rescues in South-East Queensland overnight.

Two cars were trapped in floodwaters on Carter Street in Nambour just after 3.30am, while another car was caught in floodwaters on Dunning Street in Palmwoods just after 4am. 

A woman drove into floodwaters at Petrie Park at Nambour this morning and managed to free herself and walk to safety.

Police said she didn't realise how deep the water was and quickly realised her mistake.

Homes inundated, belongings destroyed

Sradha Rajesh and her housemateswoke during the night to find the water rising quickly in their Nambour home.

They started taking things upstairs but couldn't keep up with the flood.

"I had to get out of the water because it was just too high for me. I was gonna drown," Ms Rajesh said.

"The kicker for us, when we knew it was time to just let it go, was when the fridge toppled over and started floating.

"[We said] let's get out of here."

Picking through the wreckage this morning after the water levels receded, they discovered most of their possessions were destroyed.

"We'll grab what we can in terms of clothes," Ms Rajesh said.

"Other than that, everything else is gone. Cameras, TVs, photo books from years and years, my birth certificate, everything.

"I had it in my hand one minute and then the next with the rush of everything…I don't know where it's gone."

Rising floodwaters have surrounded Joe Wells's high-set home on Shearer Street in Nambour.

He became stranded with his partner, their child and Rottweiler dog early this morning.

"I've lived on the coast for probably 32 years and I've never seen it this bad," Mr Wells said.

Dicky Beach resident Don Paterson said he was one of 54 people now on what he described as "an island" at the Nambour Showgrounds evacuation centre.

"We've had some quite shocked and traumatised people covered with towels and blankets around their necks and bodies. They've been rescued from a ute outside Yandina caravan park," Mr Paterson told ABC Breakfast presenter Tim Wong-See.

"We had 23 people here sleeping in the evacuation centre last night and that has now risen to 54 people and we're up to 36 animals."

Taxi driver Thomas Engstrom said he spent four hours trying to drive a passenger home from the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

He said he had to try multiple different routes after encountering flooded roads at every turn.

"It took me probably from 3.30 till about 7.30am to get the poor nurse back to Nambour," he said.

"You've just got to keep on trying. That's where local knowledge comes in."

Tow truck driver Mick Callahan said overturned carswere washing up in expected places. 

"Some of these people don't even realise their vehicles are damaged yet," he said. 

The SES received 42 calls for assistance across the Sunshine Coast in the 24 hours to 4am.

The weather bureau has issued a minor flood warning for the Maroochy, Mooloolah and Noosa rivers.

Public schools in Burnside, Nambour and Palmwoods are closed today, as is Glasshouse Christian College.