Ipswich floods: Major inundation unlikely as Bremer peaks lower than feared
Premier David Crisafulli has promised ‘zero daylight between response and recovery’ as the fallout from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues, with one locality’s 1.1m deluge revealed.
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Premier David Crisafulli has vowed there will be “zero daylight between response and recovery” as southeast Queensland continues the clean-up in the aftermath of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Addressing the media on Tuesday morning, he said all emergency alerts had been cancelled, but revealed the sheer scale of the weather assault on Queenslanders, saying 1146mm of rainfall had been recorded at Upper Springbrook in the past week followed by Tallebudgera (835mm), North Stradbroke Island (592mm), Redlands (522mm) and Brisbane City (513mm).
Mr Crisafulli said 1000 SES personnel remained “in the field” with another 1300 callouts overnight. There were also swiftwater rescue jobs overnight.
“Swiftwater rescues were the difference between life and death during this … they were predeployed,” he said.
Mr Crisafulli said of the 450,000 outages, just under 118k homes and businesses were still without power, adding that 360 state schools reopened today.
“More than half of Queensland kids are back at school today,” he said.
“We are going to get Queensland back on its feet … right across the state, we have to make sure that people know this state is open for business.”
Mr Crisafulli said the Warrego Highway, which was cut at Forest Hill, would reopen “imminently” while 11 per cent of traffic signals remained offline.
“There has been some disruption to water supplies in some areas,” he said.
Mr Crisafulli said two water treatment plants were “offline” at Dayboro and Kenilworth.
“Water is being trucked in there as we speak,” he said.
He said telecommunications services were still out in some places.
Minister for Families Amanda Camm announced six community recovery hubs would be open across the Gold Coast, Redlands and Logan.
It comes amid relief in Ipswich as the Bremer River peaked under major flood levels overnight.
Disaster Recovery Minister Ann Leahy said personal hardship payments had been activated for Moreton Bay and “targeted areas in the Fraser Coast”.
“We will continue to work closely with councils as damage assessments are done,” she said.
Mr Crisafulli said schools that remained offline would be able to reschedule NAPLAN tests within a “two-week window”.
“That’s a case-by-case basis,” he said.
“NAPLAN is due tomorrow so any of the schools that aren’t impacted, it’s business as usual.”
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said if the southeast could recover by April “the damage would be limited as far as the number of tourists”.
Asked about Hervey Bay residents being “caught off guard” by severe weather, Mr Crisafulli: “the moment I have received information throughout this event...I have shared it in real time.”
“We have done press conferences where I have received information as I’m walking up and I have shared it with Queenslanders, no filter.”
As the Bremer rose on Monday, parts of the Ipswich CBD were inundated, while low-lying areas in suburbs including Bundamba and North Booval went under overnight on Sunday.
The weather bureau said just before 10pm on Monday the river was at 11.27m in the CBD and rising, above the moderate flood level (9m).
In an update just before 5.30am on Monday, the Bureau of Meteorology said the Bremer peaked just below the major flood level of 11.70 metres around midnight and was easing.
Mayor Teresa Harding said on Tuesday morning the Bremer River peaked at 11.47m at midnight.
“We start to see the water recede now. We are expecting to see home inundation in Bundamba, North Booval and parts of Ipswich, but not to the extent that was forecasted yesterday,” she said.
“Thank you very much for coming together. Let’s work together as we bring our city back into the clean-up and recovery.”
Earlier she said: “We are expecting to see home inundation in Bundamba, North Booval and parts of Ipswich, but not to the extent that was forecast yesterday.
“Thank you very much for coming together. Let’s work together as we bring our city back into the clean-up and recovery.”
About 200 roads in Ipswich and Lockyer Valley remained closed on Tuesday morning due to flooding and its damages.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the threat of heavy rainfall has eased in South East Queensland, with river levels falling and the clean-up after Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred kicking into high gear.
Meteorologist Helen Reid said while no major rainfall was expected, flood warnings were still active for several major rivers. .
“The threat of heavy rain has now eased, with the highest rainfall totals to 5am Queensland time at Gympie with 146 millimetres, and Gatton 118 millimetres,” Ms Reid said.
“Despite the rain easing, river levels are expected to remain high for several days.”
A number of flood warnings remain current including major flood warnings for the Bremer River, Logan River, and Warrill Creek, moderate flood warnings for the Stanley River, Lockyer Creek and Albert River, and minor flood warnings for the Burrum and Cherwell, Maroochy, Mary, Noosa rivers, the Brisbane River downstream of Wivenhoe Dam, and the Laidley Creek and the Upper Condamine.
Premier David Crisafulli on Tuesday reiterated the support available for Queenslanders as the clean-up operation continued.
“You just can’t leave anyone behind in these, you have to make sure that you give people that hope to pick up,” Premier Crisafulli told 612 ABC Radio Brisbane.
“Overwhelmingly, I think people have shown a great degree and a willingness to help their neighbour and help themselves.”
As disaster relief payments of $180 per person and $900 per family become accessible to people living on the Gold Coast, in the Redlands and Logan, Mr Crisafulli said Brisbane residents should soon expect to have access to these payments.
“I’d expect an announcement from the Federal Government will be very, very soon,” he said.
“I can assure you, there won’t be a Queenslander left behind … and there is good will for the communities to get back on their feet, and I do believe we’re going to get good support in that regard.”
Mr Crisafulli said Energex and Ergon crews continued to get Queenslanders reconnected to power, with more than 118,000 residents still without electricity – some of whom had been without power for five days.
“Now that is a tremendously long period of time when you’re dealing with food being spoiled, family, anxiety, disconnection, it’s horrendous,” he said.
“People need to know you do have a lot of people who are throwing everything at this … they are working around the clock.
“I just need Queenslanders to know that, we’ve heard about how much pain people are going through with not having power.”
On Monday, both Laidley and Grantham were major areas of concern, with flood sirens activated in the latter. But the waters had begun to recede by late Monday
Laidley boutique Birdhouse founder Jane Matthews said floodwaters left her whole shop covered in mud.
“It’s going to take a lot to clean up. I’m just trying to get people to help,” she said.
Ms Matthews said the floods made her small business even harder.
“I’m going to be closed for over a week, so it’s going to be very, very hard,” she said.
“I could get through it, but it’s just going to be a lot.
“Businesses are already tough. I just feel like it’s another hit.
“I’m feeling tired now, cleaning everything up. It’s just a bit overwhelming, but I’m hoping to get it all back up and hopefully the power comes back on so we can start trading again.”
Mr Crisafulli on Monday said emergency alerts had been issued in the Lockyer Valley, doorknocks conducted and swiftwater rescue teams put in place.
In Ipswich, major flood warnings were issued for the Bremer River, which broke its banks, and Warrill Creek.
In a chilling warning earlier in the day, the flood sirens sounded as Lockyer Valley Regional Council urged Grantham locals to “move to higher ground and relocate to family and friends as a matter of urgency”.
“Dangerous flooding is likely to occur in the Grantham area in the coming hours,” the council warned.
“Do not wait for further direction to relocate – this is an emergency warning.”
Council urged residents to seek shelter in the Grantham Butter Factory or Gatton Shire Hall.
Posting on a Lockyer Valley community Facebook page, one local wrote: “Can hear the flood sirens from Grantham … good luck to everyone.”
Photos posted to the page showed floodwaters under the town’s railway bridge rapidly rising in under an hour on Monday afternoon.
Lockyer Valley deputy mayor Chris Wilson said Grantham was “absolutely nervous, anxious … all those things”.
Police were doorknocking homes in low-lying areas “to give them as much warning as possible”, as 60 ADF personnel were sent to the region.
“It’s a town with a history of flooding so we really are taking every precaution,” he told the ABC.
“We’re taking it as it comes at the moment – our forecasters and modellers are working around the clock to try and make sure that our community is as best prepared as possible.
“We’re just hoping our community can stay vigilant – it’s been a long few days waiting for this event to come to us and now that it’s come, boy, it’s come in a big way.”
Mr Wilson said parts of the shire were already underwater, with the Laidley CBD inundated.
He said flooding had eased slightly in the town but authorities were closely monitoring forecast thunderstorms which could dump more rain on the already sodden region.
But Mr Wilson told The Courier-Mail on Monday night the threat had eased.
“The latest is news is positive – floodwaters have receded in both Grantham and Laidley,” he said.
“The water’s out of the Laidley CBD and Grantham (water levels) receded almost as quick as it came up, which is really good.”
In Ipswich, evacuation centres opened at the Ipswich Showgrounds, Rosewood State High and Shiloh Church at Goodna.
Ms Harding said the showgrounds would be able to accommodate pets but said evacuation centres were “pretty rudimentary” and should be used as “a last resort” by residents who were better off staying with relatives and friends.
Bundamba resident Anthony Blaslov told of being woken by his wife at midnight on Sunday saying “the house is flooded”.
By Monday afternoon, he was beginning to hose out mud and debris from the bottom part of his house despite fears of more flooding.
Originally published as Ipswich floods: Major inundation unlikely as Bremer peaks lower than feared
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