Footage has emerged of a beloved pet’s lucky escape from a rising tide of sea foam at the height of this week’s storms on the Gold Coast.
The scene was captured as 7NEWS Queensland weatherman Paul Burt was just about to go live-to-air.
Hazel the dog’s panicked owner showed no concern for the frightening weather report as she desperately searched for her best mate, who had disappeared beneath almost a metre of sea foam washed up by the high seas.
“Hazel! Hazel!” yelled the woman, walking deeper into the surf and pushing sea foam aside as she called out for her pup.
The woman was joined by Burt, who began calling out alongside her.
Moments later, a lucky Hazel was scooped up into the arms of her owner – all of them relieved that the ordeal was over.
The close call came as the Bureau of Meteorology issued severe weather warning updates on Monday night, with surf and tide hazards continuing on a huge stretch of Australia’s east coast.
The bureau has since tweeted on Tuesday conditions are “generally easing”. However, severe weather warnings remain for parts of Queensland.
Tweet from @BOM_Qld
Astounding images of the Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club completely surrounded by water also emerged, with one Twitter user joking they would need “a snorkel and flippers to get in”.
Tweet from @peters_malcolm
The inundation at the surf club was later replaced by sea foam, with ABC Gold Coast posting an image of the “ridiculous” froth on Facebook.
On Monday, the Nine Network had tweeted footage of daredevil swimmers playing among waves awash with sea foam at Froggys Beach, also on the Gold Coast.
Tweet from @9NewsGoldCoast
Meanwhile in NSW, SES crews have conducted several rescue operations since the wild weather began late last week.
Two adults jumped into floodwaters in an attempt to aid two children who were caught up and swept away at Tyalgum, west of Murwillumbah.
Emergency crews rescued all four of them.
The SES has responded to more than 1000 calls for help in the past few days.
-with agencies
