Mission underway to rescue 34 people from bus stranded in floodwater

A major operation is underway to rescue more than 30 people from a bus stranded in floodwaters.

The bus became stuck about 6.30am on Saturday at the intersection of Fingerboard Road and Lowmead Road at Mount Tom near Miriam Vale, in the Gladstone region.

The bus is surrounded by floodwater in both directions, though not submerged, with 34 people on board, including the driver.

A Queensland Fire and Rescue Department swiftwater team is currently helping the group.

“About 8am, they began assisting in the rescue of passengers and the driver,” a department spokesperson said.

“It’s been a pretty slow process. We’re transporting two people at a time on a motorised swiftwater rescue craft, approximately 2.2 kilometres to the Miriam Vale side of the floodwater.

“That’s about a twenty-minute return trip. It’s taking quite a large amount of time.

“At 9.15am, we’d rescued six people, and as of 10.30, we had rescued 13 people.”

A second crew with a motorised swiftwater craft were on their way to help.

Crews are ferrying people to dry land, where police are helping to take them to another bus.

Water is being taken to those still on the bus, with the rescue expected to be fully completed about 2pm.

Several other rescues were carried out overnight.

A car became trapped in floodwater on Pony Club Road in South Trees, Gladstone, about 7.55pm on Friday.

Emergency services rescued two men – the 33-year-old driver and his 32-year-old passenger – who had minor injuries.

About 8.15pm, three people in a car became stuck on Baldaw Road in Captain Creek, also in the Gladstone region, after reportedly trying to cross a flooded road.

A 23-year-old man, a 47-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman were forced to flee the vehicle to a nearby tree. They were eventually rescued by emergency services.

Later, a woman was forced to swim to land when her vehicle was swept away in floodwater about 12.15am on Saturday.

Police said she had tried to cross at Round Hill Road in Captain Creek.

A number of roads are currently closed in the Gladstone area, and the community has been urged not to drive through floodwater.

“Flooding can happen anywhere, anytime, and even the smallest amount of water on the road can lead to dangerous consequences,” Senior Sergeant David Bletchley said.

“It may look safe to cross, but water levels can rise rapidly.

“We urge all motorists to drive to the conditions, never drive, walk, or swim through floodwater, and remember, if it’s flooded, forget it.”

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