‘Australia’s costliest flood ever’: Damage bill from devastating rain bomb becoming clear

Brisbane City Council and insurance peak body have revealed the devastating cost of the February flooding disaster.

Council has revealed its damage bill for the devastating February flood in Brisbane will be up to three times greater than the 2011 disaster while the insurance peak body says the damage inflicted across Queensland and NSW will make it “Australia’s costliest flood ever”.

Damage to council assets and facilities cost the local government $106 million in 2011, adjusted for inflation, but this will be “far exceeded” by this year’s drenching.

“The assessment that has been undertaken has found the cost of this disaster will far exceed the 2011 flood costs,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.

“In 2011, the repair bill was $440 million with council funding $106 million of this.

“We now expect the 2022 repair bill will be double or even triple the cost of 2011.”

The damage was more widespread in February than the 2011 disaster. Picture: Peter Wallis/Getty Images

The insurance peak body said it did not yet have data for Brisbane city specifically, but the damage inflicted during the infamous rain bomb across southeast Queensland and northern NSW is estimated at nearly $3.35 billion, making it “Australia’s costliest flood ever”.

Meanwhile, the cost of the 2011 flood was estimated at nearly $2.4 billion.

“As of April, insurers had received 98,481 claims across Queensland, at an estimated cost of $1.67 billion,” Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson told The Courier-Mail.

A review into the flood, released on Tuesday by former Governor of Queensland Paul de Jersey, said the “weather event was extremely unusual”.

The Brisbane River peak in February of 3.85m was below the 4.46m reached in 2011, but the devastation was more widespread.

The 2011 flood affected 94 suburbs and 14,100 properties, while the disaster this year affected 177 suburbs and 23,400 properties, according to the review.

The Lord Mayor said the extent of the February flooding prompted the city’s “biggest-ever” clean up, with more than 60,000 tonnes of flood-damaged belongings cleared through kerbside collection from more than 3000 streets.

“This flooding was so fierce that parts of our bikeways were completely washed away while around 80 roads will need a substantial reconstruction or full resurfacing work,” Mr Schrinner said.

COUNCIL PROPERTY IMPACTED 2022

Streetlights and bikeway lights: 4282

Parks: 863

Playgrounds: 300

Toilet blocks: 25

Dog off-leash areas: 40+

Bikeways: 235km