WIDESPREAD FLOODING

[mackay]

Well there is a lot of widespread flooding around my state of Queensland, most of it to the south of me here.

The next city south from me (Rockhampton) is expected to be nearly completely underwater by early next week as water from record rains upstream finally reaches the city. The area is on alert with people urged to prepare. I have family living in the area and am actually due to travel there on New Year's Day. So hopefully I can get there OK but the way it's looking if I do get there I'll most likely be stuck there for quite some time.

The River in Rockhampton usually sits at about 4 metres, it usually begins flooding low lying areas at 8 metres. It is forecast to be 9.2 metres by early next week, which is enough to flood much of the city. 

[mackay]

Further south from there, the city of Bundaberg is beginning to flood and the town of Theodore to the west of Bundaberg has been completely evacuated as every single house, business, etc. in the area is underwater. Most of this widespread rain has now stopped, the problem now is the water still flowing from upstream with most areas not expecting the water to peak until early next week.

Plans are currently underway to evacuate the city of Emerald, which has a population of at least 50,000 people, as forecasts show the water level will break records across much of the state.   Further west, i have family who live in outback queensland, they are completely stranded, all roads out of their town are flooded and the water is continuing to rise around the town, much more and the town will be underwater, this situation is occurring across much of the state.

[Wedeliver]

Here is a piece from Foxnews.

"The military cleared a town in eastern Australia on Wednesday, airlifting the entire population of 300 people by helicopter from an area where waters were continuing to rise after days of drenching rain.

A total of 1,000 people were evacuated from central and southern Queensland state, including from the town of Theodore. Only a few police officers remained in Theodore, county mayor Mareen Clancy said.

After days of rain, streets were turned into rivers, with traffic signs and rooftops the only thing visible above the high-water mark in some places. Some people had to be taken from their homes by boat. And there was still more flooding to come.

"Certainly the water is still rising," Clancy said. "The heights are at such a new record it's not known what this is going to do."

At least two other Queensland towns — Emerald and Bundaberg — also were preparing to evacuate.

"We won't know until floodwaters recede the total amount of damage done," Gillard said. "But what this does mean is the Queensland and federal governments will work together in those areas in partnership with the rebuilding of critical infrastructure."

While days of drenching rain have eased, river levels continue to rise in many locations in the southern and central areas of the state as high waters make their way toward the sea. Communities downstream face days of uncertainty, the Meteorology Bureau has warned.

Flooding has shut down about 300 roads across Queensland, including two major highways to the state capital Brisbane.

The head of the state's emergency agency, Bruce Grady, said the crisis would not pass quickly.

"These floodwaters are likely to remain high for a long period of time, in some cases that might be measured by weeks, rather than days," he told reporters. "These waters will go down when nature tells us they will go down."

[Downlinerz2]

   It has been a pretty tough go of it down there with a tornado on Christmas and now flooding.  Hope there are no more suprises for you in store

[mackay]

Well, I've had to cancel my trip to Rockhampton. They are now forecast water as much as 1 metre higher than originally forecast meaning that a vast area of the city will be underwater, including my relative's house i was supposed to be staying at. 

Also the city of Emerald is expected to be 80% underwater by tomorrow.

[DanS]

Hope your relatives live on higher ground! Wow, tornadoes then massive flooding, you guys are sure getting your share of the action down there this summer!

[Wedeliver]

It appears our Australian weather watcher who started this thread has no posted in several days.  There is a good chance that he is unable to report.

"Queensland state, in Australia, is tackling floods that have cut off towns as further heavy rain is forecast to fall, writes Robert Fenner.


The headline is. 

Floods of 'biblical proportions' cover Queensland

"Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones," the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Rockhampton, home to more than 75,000 people, has been cut off from road, rail and air links as the nearby Fitzroy river swells.

Towns have been evacuated as flooding spreads over an area the size of France and Germany combined. The disaster, which has affected 200,000 people, is said to be of "biblical proportions".

One person died and two were missing in separate incidents, with the body of a 41-year old woman found after her car was swept into a river."

[DanS]

I'm hoping his absence from here is due to holiday events instead of flooding damage in the area. Looking at various Mackay and Queensland weather condition sites I'm not seeing much news and warnings with regard to flooding like before. Mainly chance of thunderstorms kind of thing. I did see where river overflow in some areas causing flooding that's expected to reach 30 feet deep! Ouch! Hope all is o.k. in Mackay!

[Wedeliver]

I also hope he went on vacation but he had indicated that he could not go where he wanted.  I am watching this board for his return and report on the conditions. 

[Wedeliver]

Here is some more from the area.


the headline reads...
"German tourists attempt to drive through Australia's Magela Creek on Monday. The four tourists were rescued from the roof of their vehicle after it became stuck in crocodile-infested waters in Kakadu National Park."

[Cienega32]

A couple of days ago, the news mentioned that the area affected was as big as the state of Texas. That is a huge expanse of land to be underwater or flooded out.

I just hope 'mackay' has lost connectability and not home or life. That's some brutal flooding.

[Farmtalk]

I heard that this is the worst flooding on record there...Hopefully the damage is minimal, but the situation looks bleak

All we can do is hope and pray for the area

[mackay]

I'm back, all is good.

I tried to make it through to Rockhampton (where I was supposed to be heading for holidays). It's a 330 kilometre journey from here to Rockhampton and I made it 325 kilometres before finding the flooding, was very annoying as I had to come all the way home. Absolutely unbelievable the amount of water is in Rockhampton. The river there is now at 9.2 metres with much of the city underwater. My relative's house is expected to flood at 9.3 metres (they are currently surrounded by water) and the river is expected to reach 9.4 metres tomorrow and sit steady at that for 2 to 3 days.

We haven't really got problems with flooding here in Mackay, the only problem we're having here is that it keeps raining, and the more it rains here, the more that eventually flows down the rivers to Rockhampton, etc.

We are having problems here in Mackay with food supplies though. All of our supermarket's, etc. are supplied from cities south of Rockhampton and as no trucks can get past Rockhampton, Mackay is quickly running out of food and fuel.

And to make matters worse (this is another reason for my delayed reply to the forum), the electrical sub-station that supplies power to the whole city of Mackay and all surrounding areas for up to 200 kilometres burnt down in the early hours of yesterday morning, so  most of the city has been without power for at least 30 hours and the whole area is having intermittent power problems as the electricity company is currently only using backup equipment to keep the power on.

So, the food that is left in Mackay is starting to go off because the power has been out and it hasn't been able to be kept cold.

[PaulMy]

Good to hear that your being safe for the time being.  Keep us posted if you can.

Paul

[WeatherHost]

Been boppin' around on GoogleEarth checking out the area.  Had a bit of trouble finding Theodore.

We are having problems here in Mackay with food supplies though. All of our supermarket's, etc. are supplied from cities south of Rockhampton and as no trucks can get past Rockhampton, Mackay is quickly running out of food and fuel.

You're on the coast, why aren't they bringing supplies in by boat?  Or by air for that matter since it looks like a fair sized airport?

[Farmtalk]

Are these record crests being recorded?

[Wedeliver]

As we await Mackay to return I can picture the problem and it isn't pretty.  No power, means that nothing can be purchased and the perishable perish.  Water might need purification. Putting out a fire can be much harder, things you wouldn't even think of become a problem and issues.   It seems, although I should admit I have not done the proper study of historic or even any research at all, on the news I saw a sign that showed the water level and it was marked with years of other floods and there have been at least 2 or 3 others on that pole, maybe for example 1913 and 1955.  I have no idea if the size of the event is more or less then the previous.  I look forward to learning all about it when Mackay returns and finds the time to inform us.  In the meantime I am sure we all wish them the best.  (there is never a good time for a thing like this but over the Xmas and New Years makes it a bit tougher, me thinks)

[Harryca]

Here is a link that you might find useful in keeping informed on what is going on.  Clicking on the Situation Update tab, gives a lengthy up-to-date account of the situation.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?glide=FF-20101226-28953-AUS

[mackay]

Well all power is restored fine, so everything here is getting back to normal.

You're on the coast, why aren't they bringing supplies in by boat?  Or by air for that matter since it looks like a fair sized airport?

Well, in Rockhampton (were the flooding is at it's worst), the airport there is underwater, so they have no way of getting supplies. Here in Mackay our airport is fine, but the government is only really focusing on Rockhampton, not Mackay or any cities north of here. We're doing fine so far but the supermarkets are running pretty low on the essential items. I also have no idea why they don't bring supplies by boat, i don't think they've ever even thought about it.

[mackay]

Also, in Rockhampton they are expecting the city to remain underwater until at least the weekend of the 15th & 16th January. The Rockhampton Airport is closed until 18th January, and once it is re-opened planes can't land there for at least another 2 weeks as they check the run-ways are still okay, as they will have been underwater for 2 to 3 weeks.

[WeatherHost]

I also have no idea why they don't bring supplies by boat, i don't think they've ever even thought about it.

Sorry, but that's kinda funny somehow.  I hope there's another reason other than 'we didn't think of it'.  Maybe it just isn't a dire enough situation yet.

That's something like my neighbor a few years back who was worried about getting water from his well during a power outage.  I looked at him funny, then looked at the 8" of snow covering the area thinking to my self, I see a damn lot of water around here if you melt it and boil it.

 

[Farmtalk]

When are the flood waters finally going to fall below flood stage??

[Wedeliver]

my 2bits..

I might be wrong but I think Australia is HUGE and the expense to ship all the way around the Land mass takes much longer then a truck going overland

and about your friend who was concerned when his power was out which meant his well could not deliver water.

We are pretty remote. The reason why I want my well, pump and motor to be working at all times is incase of fire.  We are 1 hour from any response during the winter and although the fire might melt some snow I wouln't be able to use it in an effective manner. 

So, I am in the 4 year process of putting a water tank up on my hillside so that I would have 1100 gallons gravity feed to fight a fire when the power is out.

I also have no idea why they don't bring supplies by boat, i don't think they've ever even thought about it.

Sorry, but that's kinda funny somehow.  I hope there's another reason other than 'we didn't think of it'.  Maybe it just isn't a dire enough situation yet.

That's something like my neighbor a few years back who was worried about getting water from his well during a power outage.  I looked at him funny, then looked at the 8" of snow covering the area thinking to my self, I see a damn lot of water around here if you melt it and boil it.

 

[mackay]

When are the flood waters finally going to fall below flood stage??

Not anytime soon.
In Emerald (where the water inundated about 80% of the city) the water has finally eased below flood level.
In Rockhampton, they are not getting much rain but the water has been at the same level for nearly a week now. It peaked last Wednesday and has only fallen about 10 centimetres (4 inches) since then and that was 5 days ago.

The focus of the flooding now is shifting further south to the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane area, a lot of places around there are receiving about 200 to 300 millimetres (8 to 12 inches) of rain every day, so they are experiencing quite bad flooding now too.

[Farmtalk]

We can only hope that the situation improves ASAP