Rockhampton floods: Homes slowly being inundated

UPDATES: The Fitzroy River has slowly begun to inundate houses in Rockhampton as projections show 2117 homes and 1209 commercial properties, and locals have been warned the water will likely linger for days.

The swollen Fitzroy River in Rockhampton on Monday. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Peled

THE Fitzroy River has begun to inundate homes in Rockhampton and exceeded the moderate flood level.

The flood will directly affect 2117 homes, 1209 commercial properties, and water will rise above the floor boards of 217 homes, according to Rockhampton Regional Council’s latest projections.

As of 12pm, the following roads are beginning to flood:

Lion Creek Road, Wandal

Harman St, Wandal (near the new bridge and Outrigger club)

Exhibition Road, Wandal

Port Curtis Road, Port Curtis

Wood Street, Depot Hill.

Lakes Creek Road, Koongal

Thozet Road, Koongal

Water Street, Berserker

Witt Street, Berserker

R'ton from 10km up. Thoughts of all @QPSmedia r with u as we move toward a flood peak during Thurs morning. Pls stay safe. pic.twitter.com/gF9ZnRaPCZ

— Ian Stewart (@CoPStewart) April 4, 2017

Residents have been warned the eventual flood peak could linger for days.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts the Fitzroy River will peak at nine metres in the central Queensland city on Thursday morning, down on the initial forecast of a 9.4m peak on Wednesday.

On Tuesday morning the river was at 7.6m and climbing slowly, with the city likely to see the major flood level of 8.5m later in the day.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the latest advice suggested the 9m peak would linger in the region for about 48 hours “if not a bit longer”. Authorities are expecting water to enter more than 1000 homes, with just over 200 having water over their floorboards.

A family uses a boat to get to their house through floodwaters in Rockhampton on Tuesday. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Peled

“We’re already seeing the waters come through the Fitzroy, they’re starting to encroach,” Ms Palaszczuk said on Tuesday.

Some low-lying parts of the city, especially around the suburb of Berserker, have had temporary flood levees built to protect homes from the water. But other suburbs, in particular Depot Hill on the other side of the river, will have to face the full brunt of the Fitzroy at its height.

District disaster co-ordinator Superintendent Ron Van Saane said they were happy the peak had been revised but weren’t taking anything for granted. “By no means are we out of the scrub with this,” he said.

Water slowly spreading from the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton @7NewsCQ #7News pic.twitter.com/EyRkmk3Uf2

— Susie Ross (@SusieKristelle4) April 3, 2017

“It’s still going to be a major flood and we still have a lot to do.” The airport closed just after midday on Monday and will remain closed until at least the weekend.

Rockhampton won’t be completely cut off like in previous floods though, with the southern Yeppen crossing remaining open and travellers being diverted to Gladstone airport for flights.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said “considerable resources” had been diverted to the city, which was undoubtedly on the cusp of a “tough time”.

ROCKHAMPTON FLOOD FORECAST IN NUMBERS:

- Water expected to enter 1809 residences

- Of those, 217 will have water over floorboards

- Water expected to enter 547 commercial properties

- Of those, 120 water above floorboards

An evacuation centre has been set up for Rocky residents who can't stay with friends or family & whose properties will be impacted. #bigwet pic.twitter.com/ZKmmlM5gEI

— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) April 3, 2017

Major roads in the Rockhampton region are still expected to be cut despite a revision of the expected Fitzroy River flood peak to 9.0 metres.

.@AnnastaciaMP @BOM_Qld @CoPStewart @MarkRyanQLD D/C Gollschewski - No one gets left behind in these events, people in the Rockhampton area need to make arrangements now. #BigWet

— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) April 3, 2017

Residents have been given more time to prepare for major flooding of low-lying parts of the town, with the Fitzroy River now expected to peak on Thursday morning.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the Fitzroy River will peak at 9m on Thursday, down on the initial forecast of a flood peak of 9.4m on Wednesday. Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow says hundreds of properties in Australia’s beef capital will still be affected by flooding.

Homes have started to flood in Wood St, Depot Hill. Picture: Melanie Plane

Up to 30 households in Yaamba, north of Rockhampton, have been isolated with flood peaks up to 15.9m expected today.

Livingstone Mayor Bill Ludwig said a number of other properties between Yaamba and Belmont were also cut off by the rising flood waters.

The major flooding will have a “devastating” impact on Rockhampton’s economy but revised predictions have given renewed hope it will fall short of the $35 million lost during the 2011 floods.

The Earthworm looking nice and full this morning after being fed for the past week. Lower bank submerged. No water on riverfront yet pic.twitter.com/r3StWszHBZ

— Tom Snowdon (@TWSnowdon) April 3, 2017

The Bureau of Meteorology yesterday advised major flood levels were predicted to be 40cm under the original estimate and will peak at “near 9m” tomorrow.

The fresh predictions led council to revise down the number of properties, including businesses, expected to be affected to 3317 instead of 3500. But 337 of those are still likely to be inundated.

It is a major blow to local business as up to 2000 employees face being sent home for the week, including 950 staff at Teys meat works in Lakes Creek on the northside of the river.

Jack Enright, 11, and Jasmin Maycock,10, watch at the Fitzroy River flood gauge as floodwaters continues to rise in Rockhampton. Picture: Tim Marsden

Billed as the largest employer in the beef capital of Australia, the company yesterday announced factory doors would remain closed until at least the end of the week.

Construction, accounting for almost 20 per cent of all registered businesses in the city, has been affected too as 600 local staff from Hastings Deering were asked to down tools until further notice.

Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow said the flood level, while revised down, was still going to damage a local economy that has learnt to bounce back from natural disasters.

The most recent was when Cyclone Marcia hit in 2015 but the region has experienced major flooding in parts of the city when the Fitzroy River swelled to 8.6m in 2013 and 9.2m in 2011.

Energex linesman are going from house to house around Depot Hill and other low-lying areas of Rockhampton disconnecting power where those houses have hot water systems or power boxes below the predicted flood levels. Picture: Tim Marsden

“I know it’s not as sudden or dramatic as the flooding in other centres,” Cr Strelow said. “We do see it coming gradually. We know where it’s going to go within an centimetre usually. But the fact that those businesses are out of action and not able to contribute to the local economy is quite significant.”

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland advocacy adviser Kate Whittle said the floods would likely have a “devastating impact” on all businesses.

However, she said having a strong construction sector would hopefully assist in a speedy recovery.

“On the one hand we are very concerned about business but we also want to tell a positive story about how history shows us they can recover quite quickly from these events,” Ms Whittle said.

The full economic impact will remain unknown until the flooding occurs.

Toni Hay (right) is helped by friends as she moves items to safety before expected flooding in Rockhampton. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Peled

While the airport closed yesterday, the Bruce Highway was expected to remain open to traffic via the Yeppen overpass, built after the city was virtually isolated during the 2011 floods. At that time, CCIQ figures show there was $35 million drop in production across the region as accommodation providers lost up to 100 per cent of their business.

Capricorn Enterprise chief executive Mary Carroll described the infrastructure as being a “life-saver” that could avoid losses of “nearly $5.5 million per day” across the greater region.

“The 2011 flood basically cut Queensland in half so the economic impact was devastating,” Ms Carroll said.

ROTTEN FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Owner of The Green Eat Brett Hansen. Picture: Tim Marsden

LOWER flood predictions have given Brett Hansen hope but he still faces a nervous wait to see whether his Depot Hill cafe will lose up to $10,000 if water inundates his shop.

His main concern for now is the power. If Ergon pinpoints his Green Eat cafe as among the 197 connections that need to lose power, about $1000 of stock in his freezers will be worthless.

“If they do have the power cut, it will have a financially massive impact for us,” Mr Hansen (pictured with employee Brittany Smith) said.

Forced to send home two of his five staff yesterday, his business was among many that cut back operations during a time when they would usually be capitalising on the Easter holiday trade.

“Everyone’s just in a waiting game at the moment,” he said. “We don’t really know what’s going to happen. We just have to wait for the water to come.”

Forecasters yesterday revised down the major flood level to reach up to near 9m as the water peaked just west of Rockhampton at Riverslea station in the morning.

Mr Hansen spent yesterday sandbagging the lowset store but if water does come into the shop, he faces losing about $9000 worth of whitegoods. “Whatever happens, we’ll bounce back,” he said. “We’re a resilient mob here.”