Bowen flooding: Bowen Hospital ward flooded, Bruce Highway cut after trough deluge

A monsoon trough dumped more than 220mm in less than 24 hours, swamping the Bruce Highway and causing flash flooding at Bowen Hospital. Watch the nurses’ clean-up effort after the deluge.

Intense rainfall that dumped more than 220mm of rain in less than a day cut the Bruce Highway north of Bowen and triggered flash flooding inside the town’s hospital.

Over a 24-hour period to 9am Thursday, the Bowen Pump Station recorded 222mm of rainfall and Bowen Airport recorded 218mm.

Night-shift nurses at Bowen Hospital moved four patients to another ward to guard against the torrential pour.

The nurses then spent the early morning hours mopping up and pushing water into the bathroom area.

The rainfall also inundated the area where contractors are in the process of joining the existing building to the new medical imaging and renal dialysis block.

Contractors were onsite Friday continuing roofing work to prevent any further leaks.

For Castle Motor Lodge Motel Manager Ruth Bodsworth, the heavy rainfall created a short surge in business.

With the Bruce Highway near Merinda cut-off until late Thursday afternoon, she lost some bookings but gained others as travellers hunkered down for an extra night.

“We’ve been a bit busier than normal,” she said.

Heavy rainfall across Bowen over Wednesday saw a flood warning issued for the Don and Proserpine rivers. Picture: Julain Gallimore

Flood warnings were issued for the Don and Proserpine rivers on Thursday, but meteorologist Helen Kirkup said the danger had declined into Friday as the system moved further north.

“We’ve got the monsoon trough that’s started to bring a huge amount of moisture into that region and what we’re seeing now is that that trough is starting to move more northwards,” she said.

“Any flooding is easing and it’s dropped below minor flood levels. “Proserpine is steady as well.

“We will continue to monitor them, but we’re not looking at getting any widespread rain of any significance over the next few days.”