Two people hit by lightning and one rescued from floods as wild weather smashes southeast Queensland on Anzac morning

7NEWS

25-04-2025

Lightning has injured a teenage girl and a woman and a man has been rescued from floodwaters as wild weather smashes southeast Queensland.
At least a dozen Anzac Day Dawn Services and marches were cancelled as residents around Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast woke to storms and heavy rain on Friday.
Two people were struck by lightning only hours apart on Friday morning.
A woman in her 30s was taken to Nambour Hospital with a neck injury after being hit by lightning at a home in Yandina, on the Sunshine Coast, about 12.45am.
And a teenage girl was also struck by lightning at a home on Coutts Dr in Burpengary, in Brisbane's north, about 2.54am.
She was taken to Caboolture Hospital in a stable condition with minor burns.
Heavy rain brought flash flooding to the region, with one man rescued from his car when it was caught in the deluge on Hospital Rd in Nambour about 3am.
The Bureau of Meteorology had earlier issued a severe thunderstorm warning for large areas of southeast Queensland.
'A surface trough is combining with an upper trough to cause thunderstorms and moderate showers in the southeast this morning,' it said.
'Rainfall rates have eased below severe thresholds but there is a slight chance heavy falls may redevelop later this morning.'
About 200mm of rain was recorded at one Nambour weather observation station and 235mm at nearby West Woombye in the 24 hours to 9am Friday.
About 2500 lightning strikes were recorded over the southeast during the same time period.
'The immediate threat of severe thunderstorms has passed but the situation will continue to be monitored and further warnings will be issued if necessary,' BOM said.
At least a dozen dawn services and marches were cancelled or altered due to the bad weather.
Services and marches were cancelled at Buderim, Nambour, Beachmere, Deception Bay, Burpengary, Forest Lake, Greenbank, Ormeau, Burleigh Heads, Upper Coomera and Broadwater, while marches at Canungra and Beerwah were moved indoors and into a local park respectively.
Minor flood warnings have also been issued for the Mary, Brisbane and Maroochy Rivers.
Minor flooding was likely along the Mary River to Gympie, according to BOM, with the river currently at 4.15m and rising at Moy Pocket.
'Moderate to locally heavy rainfall has been observed within the Maroochy River catchment overnight Thursday into Friday,' it said.
'This has caused creek and river level rises throughout the catchment and minor flooding is likely at Picnic Point on the high tides Friday morning and evening, as well as the Saturday morning high tide.
'Further rainfall is forecast for the remainder of Friday morning, which may cause further river and creek level rises. The situation is being monitored and this warning will be updated as required.'
The Brisbane River at Gregor Creek is currently at 3.02m and rising, below the minor flood level, however it may reach the minor flood level of 3.50m later on Friday, according to BOM.
Minor flooding may also occur along the Brisbane River to Wivenhoe Dam.