A woman has died when her car was swept away in rising floodwaters as a ferocious rain bomb washed out the Ashes Test in Brisbane and hit Sydney.
Emergency services rushed to Lancing St
Police, paramedics, firefighters and a police helicopter searched for the woman in the Pullenvale floodwaters (pictured) for an hour until her body was found
It is understood a witness saw the car enter the water before being swept away.
‘I’m advised that the floodwaters here rose very, very quickly,’ Duty Officer Daniel Bragg told reporters at the scene.’The reality is here, if it’s flooded, forget it.’
Pullenvale, 20km west of Brisbane, was the suburb worst affected by the merciless downpour and received 59mm of rain on Wednesday evening.
Large parts of southeast Queensland have been issued severe thunderstorm warning with residents urged to secure loose outdoor items and put cars under cover.
The bad weather has delayed the opening day of the Ashes Test being held at the Gabba in Brisbane, after large amounts of rain fell at about 3pm, delaying play.
The bad weather has delayed the opening day of the Ashes Test being held at the Gabba in Brisbane after large amounts of rain fell during the tea break
Groundsmen were seen rushing to get covers on the wicket as a severe thunderstorm brewed over Brisbane and threatened to end the match prematurely=
Groundsmen were seen rushing to get covers on the wicket at about 3pm as the storm brewed over Brisbane and threatened to end the match prematurely.
Volunteers worked quickly to drain the large puddles on the grounds as attendees waited impatiently as play was halted for more than an hour.
Australian cricket legend Shane Warne reassured fans the grounds of the Gabba would dry quickly, with umpires given the decision on when play would resume.
Just before 6pm umpires called stumps following complaints of bad light, ending play for the opening day of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba.
The match will begin early at aloe vera clean 9:30am Brisbane time on Thursday to make up for the delay, with Australia to begin their batting innings.
Australian cricket legend Shane Warne reassured cricket fans the grounds of the Gabba dried quickly, with Australia to continue batting
A low pressure system and a broad trough from the northern tropics into Eastern Australia is bringing showers and storms to the tropics, Queensland, and NSW
Earlier on Wednesday, BOM Queensland warned a storm cell was developing over Brisbane with a thunderstorm ‘likely, fit c9 forever possibly severe’.
It warned areas north of and including the Sunshine Coast could be hit with hail while damaging wind gusts were headed for the Central Highlands.
Residents in Kingaroy, Greenbank, Archerfield, Coolangatta, Logan City and Sunnybank and South Burnett will be affected by the monster rain bomb.
Weatherzone meteorologist Chris Matthews told Daily Mail Australia showers over Brisbane were due to be easing by Wednesday afternoon.
However, he warned lashings of rain were due to hit the grounds again on Thursday, with a forecast of afternoon showers over the city.
The meteorologist said there was a lesser chance of showers on Friday with the weekend set to receive ‘nowhere near as much’ rain as earlier in the week.
Mr Matthews said showers were forecast for Brisbane next week but residents could expect some drier days from Tuesday.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned commuters could be in for a dangerous drive home on Wednesday afternoon as thunderstorms kicked off across NSW
He said there was a ‘slight chance’ Sydneysiders would be hit with a storm overnight but said the heavy rain was due to continue regardless (pictured, a storm in Muswellbrook NSW)
Weatherzone meteorologist Chris Matthews said showers over the Gabba in Brisbane (pictured) were due to be clearing by the afternoon on Wednesday
BOM meteorologist Jonathon How predicted 100mm of rain would hit southeast parts of NSW and possibly east Gippsland from Wednesday through Saturday.
‘Isolated totals exceeding 200mm can’t be ruled out either,’ Mr How said, adding showers could be expected in most eastern capitals on Thursday.
Sydneysiders were also warned to brace themselves for severe thunderstorm and flash flooding.
The BoM warned thunderstorms were already kicking off across NSW with the possibi