A dramatic six-hour rescue operation saved 34 people who were trapped on a bus surrounded by floodwaters in the Australian state of Queensland after intense rainfall flooded several roads and communities.

 

According to 9News, emergency crews carried out the operation early Saturday morning after the bus became stranded near Miriam Vale, a town south of Gladstone. Swift-water rescue teams managed to bring all passengers to safety at about 6:30 am following a lengthy effort that lasted nearly six hours.

 

The flooding was triggered by relentless rainfall linked to a tropical low-pressure system that has drenched large parts of central and south-eastern Queensland. The heavy downpours left paddocks waterlogged and many roads submerged.

 

Senior meteorologist Harry Clark from the Bureau of Meteorology said the weather system dragged large amounts of moisture across the region, causing severe rainfall overnight.

 

Clark explained that several coastal areas experienced intense rainfall which resulted in significant flash flooding, reported by 9News.

 

Weather monitoring stations recorded extremely high rainfall totals in parts of the state. The Westwood Range south of Gladstone received about 246 millimetres of rain within 24 hours, while 195 millimetres fell near Bowen at Boundary Creek and 135 millimetres was recorded in Mackay.

 

Emergency services were kept busy across the region. Police also rescued six people from three different vehicles that became trapped in fast-moving floodwaters within a five-hour period, according to 9News.

 

Transport infrastructure has also been affected. Authorities temporarily closed access roads to Whitsunday Airport, forcing the cancellation of all flights after the surrounding areas became flooded.

 

While floodwaters in the far north of the state have begun to slowly recede, forecasters warn that the dangerous weather may shift to other areas. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe weather warnings for parts of southern and inland Queensland.

 

Residents in towns including Roma, Toowoomba, Dalby and Kingaroy have been warned to prepare for more heavy rainfall.

 

Clark said forecasts indicate between 50 and 200 millimetres of additional rain could fall over the coming days, depending on how the system moves, raising concerns about further flooding in vulnerable communities.