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South-east Queensland flood damage captured in before and after aerial images

Broad swathes of the south-east were hit by severe flooding this week, Tennyson and Rocklea in Brisbane's south were some of the worst affected.  (Supplied: nearmap)

Aerial images from across south-east Queensland have revealed a broader perspective on how recent floodwaters have inundated neighbourhoods and infrastructure, swallowing entire streets and seeping deep into riverside suburbs.

Here's a bird's-eye view of the places most heavily hit — both before and after the flood event that authorities have labelled a "rain bomb".

Bethania, Logan City

Between 420 millimetres and 880mm of rain has fallen in the catchments for the Logan and Albert rivers since last weekend.

It's believed hundreds of homes across multiple suburbs in Logan City, south of Brisbane, have suffered flooding inundation, and thousands lost power for extended periods.

Residents in Yarrabilba were cut off from the outside world for a couple of days.

On the Logan River, the suburbs of Bethania and Waterford were likewise heavily impacted.

 Bethania in Logan City in February 2022. (Supplied: nearmap)
Bethania in Logan City in the aftermath of the March 2022 floods.   (Supplied: nearmap)

Tennyson and Rocklea, Brisbane

The low-lying areas of Rocklea and Tennyson in south-western Brisbane have been heavily impacted by flooding in Oxley Creek, which can be seen snaking across the pictures below.

Rocklea markets, adjacent to the Oxley Common flood plain, once more vanished deep under floodwaters this week.

Hundreds of houses in Rocklea were also badly impacted by flooding, prompting a debate about whether Brisbane City Council should buy back the houses because they are so prone to flooding.

Tennyson in Brisbane's south on February 9. (Supplied: nearmap)
Tennyson and Rocklea on Wednesday, the suburbs in Brisbane's south are some of the capital's more flood prone areas. (Supplied: nearmap)

Milton, Brisbane

Low-lying streets in the inner-city suburb were badly flooded by water from the nearby Brisbane River.

Dozens of homes were flooded.

This cut busy Milton Road in several places and also impacted Coronation Drive by the river, severely impacting traffic flow in and out of the CBD for several days.

The inner-city river suburb of Milton on January 24, 2022. (Supplied: nearmap)
Milton on Wednesday, a day after the Brisbane River peaked. (Supplied: nearmap)

Gympie

This town north of the Sunshine Coast has experienced its worst flood in almost 130 years.

The Mary River reached 22.8 metres on Sunday morning, 1m higher than the 1999 flood and the most significant event seen in Gympie since 1893, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

At least 500 homes and 130 businesses were impacted by flooding.

The riverside town of Gympie in May 2021.   (Supplied: nearmap)
The Gympie region has seen extensive flooding already twice this year. (Supplied: nearmap)

Palm Beach, Gold Coast 

Heavy rain across the Currumbin Valley and Tallebudgera Valley early this week caused a flood emergency on the southern Gold Coast.

A man drowned after driving his car into a flooded section of Currumbin Creek Road on Monday.

Access to low lying areas of the Gold Coast was cut while multiple swiftwater rescues occurred.

An aerial shot of Palm Beach taken in August 2021. (Supplied: nearmap)
Aerial shot of Palm Beach on the Gold Coast in the aftermath of the March 2022 floods.    (Supplied: nearmap)

Grantham, west of Brisbane

The people of this small town in the Lockyer Valley are still traumatised by the devastating and fatal flood event that hit in 2011.

About 100 Grantham residents shifted to higher ground after 2011.

This week, floodwaters again rose quickly in the town with a couple of hours, prompting an evacuation as dozens of properties were flooded again.

Parts of the Lockyer Valley received more than 500 millimetres of rain.

Grantham in the Lockyer Valley in September 2022. (Supplied: nearmap)
Grantham in the Lockyer Valley on Tuesday, residents were still evacuated on Friday. (Supplied: nearmap)

Lake Doonella, Noosa

The Sunshine Coast faced one rain barrage after another for four days as the rain bomb that would later detonate over Brisbane lingered over towns and communities west of Noosa. 

It flooded homes, washed away livestock and left many residents stranded. 

Properties along Lake Doonella and the nearby Noosa River at Noosaville were badly hit.

The usually crystal clear waters of Lake Doonella in Noosa in September 2021. (Supplied: nearmap)
Noosaville near Lake Doonella saw nearly 500 millimetres of rainfall during the storms.  (Supplied: nearmap)
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