Authorities say there’s “more significant rain to come” in north Queensland, amid warnings to residents to not return to flooded houses.
Dams and river catchments from Mackay to Cairns stay swollen from every week of heavy rain, which has dumped greater than 1.2 metres on some areas.
Greater than 400 individuals – largely in Townsville, Ingham and Cardwell – are in evacuation shelters after being suggested to flee on Sunday.
Total cities have misplaced energy and been remoted by flood waters. The Bruce Freeway – the lone connection between central, north and much north Queensland – may very well be unpassable for a major interval after a bridge was washed away at Ollera Creek, between Townsville and Ingham.
Emergency providers carried out 11 water rescues on Sunday evening. A girl in her 60s, from Ingham, died throughout an tried rescue early on Sunday morning.
The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, mentioned authorities “remain prepared for the ongoing prospect of more rain and the likelihood of more flooding”.
He additionally urged residents in Townsville’s “black zone” – together with Hermit Park, Railway Property, Rosslea, Idalia, Oonoonba and Cluden – who have been suggested to depart yesterday, ought to keep away till given the all clear.
“Our advice to people in the black zone at the moment is to stay outside the zone and to stay safe. We are prepared for a scenario where rivers continue to rise.”
The Bureau of Meteorology says the low stress system that has introduced torrential rainfall over the previous week was “starting to weaken”. However senior meteorologist Dean Narramore mentioned there was “continued threat of dangerous and life-threatening riverine and flash flooding”.
“This is a significant and protracted weather event,” Narramore mentioned.
“That rainfall is expected to ease over the next 24 hours, but there is a lot of water in those catchments, there’s a lot of water on the ground, there’s more significant rain to come.”
The Ross River at Townsville has dropped since Sunday and the Townsville airport has re-opened. However Narramore mentioned the river would rise above the most important flood degree once more on Monday afternoon.
The deputy police commissioner, Shane Chelepy, mentioned concern was additionally mounting for inland communities, together with Charters Towers, the place a number of individuals have been rescued on Sunday evening.
An emergency alert was issued for Charters Towers simply earlier than noon, warning that energy and water providers had been disrupted.
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Authorities may even face important challenges restoring providers to some communities, together with Ingham, the place energy is out and the Bruce Freeway minimize off to the south.
The bridge at Ollera Creek, roughly midway to between Townsville and Ingham, collapsed in flood waters. Crisafulli mentioned important work could be wanted to reopen the freeway.
“There’s been some images we’ve seen overnight that have proven that the north, and indeed all of regional Queensland, is at the mercy of one road,” Crisafulli mentioned.
“The images from Ollera Creek show the vulnerability of regional Queenslanders.
“That road must be repaired and repaired swiftly.
“We are a resilient state. Resilience means [Queenslanders] are strong and tough. It doesn’t mean they are on their own though.”
Studies point out that houses in Cardwell have been inundated. The vast majority of individuals evacuated are in Townsville, the place the native catastrophe administration group estimated on Sunday that about 1,700 houses have been affected by flood waters.
Most of these are in low-lying suburbs to the south of the town, alongside the banks of the Ross River.
The dam that feeds the catchment, the Ross River Dam, was at 175% storage capability on Monday. Flood warnings remained in place for most of the rivers and creeks from central Queensland to the far north.
