Laidley

A 9News reporter was standing on the main strip of Laidley when water suddenly inundated the rural town.

"It's destroying our whole family. "It has been completely swallowed by water. A hazardous surf warning is currently in place from the Fraser Coast down to the Gold Coast with the Bureau warning swells of more than three metres. "We're expecting a further 100 to 200mm today right through that hinterland area from the Capricornia and Wide Bay areas right down to the Sunshine Coast and even down to the Granite Belt as well." "In response to the most recent weather forecast, all residents in low-lying areas subject to flooding are being urged to self-evacuate," the local council said, adding waters are rising rapidly. "Right now it is the south-east that's being hit the hardest...The rain's continuing to fall. A number of schools are also closing across the state due to flooding. The Grantham Siren was activated earlier this morning "to give residents time to move to higher ground" as saturated catchments spill over. "This is the main street of this town," she said indicating behind her. Schools across the state are also closing due to flooding access and hazardous surf is pounding a large swathe of coastline from Fraser Coast down to the Gold Coast. Up to 260 homes in Laidley, in Lockyer Valley, south-west of Brisbane, are at risk of flooding and emergency sirens have rung out at nearby Grantham to urge residents to high ground as the "unseasonable" weather system barrels south. Dozens of catchments are spilling their banks, with the Bureau issuing dozens of flood warnings ranging from major to minor.