BRISBANE (CU)_The state of Queensland, in northeast Australia, is currently recording its sixth flooding event since December, with emergency flood alerts being issued for several south-east parts of the state on Friday morning. Initial flood watch notices were issued for the areas of Darling Downs, Wide Bay and Burnett and Granite Belt. These warnings have now been extended to several other parts of Queensland.
Meteorologists forecast severe weather and heavy rainfall in Brisbane, Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Gladstone, Gatton, Caboolture and Gympie, while major flood warnings being issued for Cape River, Cooper Creek, Laidley Creek, Bremer River, Warrill Creek and the Logan and Condamine rivers. Almost 70 schools have been closed in these areas and according to the assistant commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES), Andrew Short, residents to reconsider their need to travel given that hundreds of roads have already been submerged in flood waters.
“Currently, we’ve got 18 emergency alerts out in a number of councils. So, we’re looking for people just to listen and respond and act accordingly,” he told ABC Radio on Friday.
Over the past 24 hours, the highest rainfall was reported near Wilsons Peak, on the border of Queensland’s border with NSW, with a rainfall of 290mm in total, the Bureau of Meteorology said. Meanwhile, the swiftwater teams of the QFES have conducted seven rescues across the state overnight and had responded to over 900 calls for help.
“Locally intense rainfall which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding is possible with thunderstorms during Friday afternoon,” the bureau said in an alert on Thursday.
The Warrego Highway has already been cut by flood water at Glenore Grove, as flash floods continue to occur in many locations across Queensland. With a surface trough moving across the eastern coast of the country, several cities, including Bundaberg, Nambour, Hervey Bay, Rainbow Beach, Gympie and Cooroy, were on flood watch on Friday morning. “Locally intense rainfall which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding is possible with thunderstorms during Friday afternoon,” the bureau said in an alert on Thursday.
