Record October rainfall hit Southeast Queensland, flooding roads and prompting a desperate rescue in Morayfield, where a reporter and a bystander swam to a vehicle that was going under.
The storm also stranded drivers, damaged infrastructure, disrupted electricity, and forced 14 schools across the region to close, according to Euronews.
Here's what to know
Torrential rain triggered flash flooding across southeast Queensland.
In the Moreton Bay area north of Brisbane, a water treatment plant logged more than 250 millimeters (9.8 inches) over 24 hours.
Some places saw nearly 180 millimeters (7.1 inches) in just three hours.
Over two days, the flooding trapped motorists, prompted hundreds of emergency calls, and closed 14 schools.
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As another wave of rain moved into the region, authorities warned residents in parts of Caboolture and Burpengary to be ready to leave if necessary.
Rainfall totals far exceeded expectations, with at least eight weather stations recording more than 300 millimeters (11.8 inches) — more than three times the amount that the Bureau of Meteorology originally forecast.
More background
The downpour also reset local October marks: Beerburrum had its wettest October day on record, and Toowoomba saw its heaviest October rainfall in 29 years.
As average temperatures rise and seas warm, extreme weather events like this are becoming stronger, more frequent, and deadlier, putting communities and people at increasing risk.
One of the storm's most dramatic moments came in Morayfield, where Australian Broadcasting Corporation reporter Will Murray and a nearby bystander entered floodwaters to reach a driver trapped in a rapidly sinking car.
Murray later recalled the harrowing moment to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, as reported by Euronews: "My colleague and I sort of started to watch him sink further into the water and thought, 'well, we don't have time to wait.' So I threw off my shoes, gave my glasses to my colleague, and jumped in and started swimming. And thankfully somebody nearby jumped in with me to give me a hand."
What's being done?
Flood warnings had already been issued across the area, and fresh rain worsened conditions, so authorities told people in parts of Caboolture and Burpengary to prepare for a possible evacuation.
Emergency services continued to handle hundreds of storm-related calls about flooded roads, infrastructure damage, and other impacts, while schools in the hardest-hit areas remained closed as a precaution.
Their first effort to break the vehicle's rear windscreen failed, so they moved to the side of the car and eventually opened a door to pull the driver out. No injuries were reported.
Murray recalled what he saw when he got to the vehicle.
"Couldn't get that door open. Got up onto the ute tray, looked through the back window and you could see that the water was up sort of shoulder level, sort of towards chin level, just terrifying and angling down."
Where can I learn more?
These stories cover similar flood emergencies driven by extreme rainfall. They span rescues, deadly inundation, and fast-rising water in Russia, Vietnam, and Vermont.
• In Russia's Yakutia region, over 100 people and animals were rescued after villages went underwater.
• In Vermont, the National Weather Service issued a dire flash-flood emergency after six hours of relentless rain.
• In Vietnam's Nha Trang, thousands were stranded by flooding as heavy rain left nearly 100 dead.
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