A grandfather whose ute was swept away in the flood has been remembered as a kind member of his community and a car enthusiast.
Peter Wells, 71, was driving near his home on Begley Rd in Greenbank, southwest of Brisbane, overnight when his car flooded.
The flood was caused by torrential rains that affected enormous stripes of New south Wales and queensland during the next three days.
Only Greenbank achieved 150mm overnight.
Wells’ truck was found 50 meters downstream, wedged between trees, on private property around 5:20 a.m. Thursday.
Peter Wells (pictured) was found dead in his vehicle which was swept away by floodwaters overnight.
Mr Wells’ ute (pictured) was found 50 meters downstream, wedged between trees, on private property about 5.20am on Thursday.
Friend and neighbor Keith Draper told mail Grandpa was a true family man who loved helping his community.
He was known around the world for collecting vintage Chevrolets.
‘I met him only eight or nine years ago and we became very good friends. We did a lot of things for each other, car things. He was just a lovely man,” Mr Draper said.
‘I just can’t believe he died this way. Right down the street from his own house.
Draper described Wells as a “humble” tinkerer who worked on antique vehicles.
He remembered that Mr. Wells often helped him with his own mechanical business.
“He would drop everything and help me,” Draper said.
Wells leaves behind his wife Beverly, children and grandchildren.
Draper said the couple were high school sweethearts.
“He always told stories about how he would take her in his father’s car, how he would court her.”
Rain was forecast to begin falling on Thursday morning in southeast Queensland before descending into New South Wales in the afternoon.
Greenbank received 150mm of torrential rain overnight and on Thursday as part of a rain bomb that hit Queensland and New South Wales (pictured, damage in Greenbank)
The most severe weather will be seen on Friday, with widespread falls of 50mm to 100mm of rain falling from Brisbane to the New South Wales south coast.
A major flood warning has been issued for the Bremer River in Wallonia, and moderate flooding is already occurring in the area.
Weatherzone’s Joel Pippard said: “Some models show rainfall of up to 80-150mm in just six hours, with severe storms possible in these regions,” he said.
“Similar heavy falls are also possible on the northern tablelands of New South Wales, the northwest slopes and plains and the Darling Downs and Granite Belt of Queensland during Thursday and Friday mornings.”
Thunderstorms were also possible over northeastern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland on Thursday afternoon.
Strong seas and winds with gusts of up to 100 kilometers per hour are also forecast.
The reason for the wild weather is the combination of an upper-level low pressure system and a coastal trough forming off the east coast.
This coastal trough will funnel tropical moisture from the north, causing heavy rain.
Wells was described as a “humble” man and tinkerer who worked on antique vehicles (pictured, Mr. Wells’ truck)
Miriam Bradbury of the Bureau of Meteorology warned that the heaviest rain and strongest winds will be recorded on Friday.
“As we move through the latter part of Thursday into Friday, that’s when we’ll see the more severe weather begin to intensify as a trough deepens off the east coast of New South Wales,” he said.
“Precipitation of this magnitude can cause flash flooding.”
The wild weather is expected to improve on Saturday as the system moves further south.