Mackay: The flooded city

New photos: Mackay is facing a massive clean-up operation today after more than 2000 homes were inundated by two months of rain in 10 hours.

Up to 1000 people will have to be evacuated in Mackay after today's deluge. Pictures sent in by Colleena and Ric Gaynor

Mackay is facing a massive clean-up operation today after more than 2000 homes were inundated by two months of rain in 10 hours.

This morning, Emergency Management Queensland reported floodwaters around Mackay were receding but it continued to rain.

"There have been 1993 calls to the SES 132 500 number in Mackay since midnight Thursday, 14 Feburary to 6am this morning,'' an EMQ spokesperson said.

"Many residents have begun the clean-up and are helping each other remove sodden carpet and furniture.

"Some residents have reported more than 1 metre of water through their homes, causing substantial damage.''

A dozen SES volunteers from Brisbane will arrive in Mackay this morning from Sarina to assist and relieve crews.

A further three SES teams from Brisbane are on standby for deployment to Mackay.

About 20 QFRS Urban Search and Rescue Firefighters from Brisbane will arrive in Mackay later today. They will work with and support the local council to conduct damage assessments on flooded properties.

Also, three QFRS Incident Management teams from Brisbane consisting of 13 officers will arrive today in Mackay today.

Four QFRS Swift Water Rescue officers arrived in Mackay from Brisbane last night.

Mackay airport is open this morning but rail services on the Sunlander remain cancelled.

Three evacuation centres have been established and are currently operating in the Mackay region, at the following locations, with the below numbers of occupants:

• Mackay North High School, Valley St, North Mackay
• West Mackay Primary School, Margaret St Entrance, West Mackay
• Bakers Creek Community Hall, Bruce H’Way, Bakers Creek

Despite fears up to 1000 would have to be evacuated yesterday, just over 50 actually spent the night in emergency accommodation with most staying with relatives or friends.

There have been more than 3100 power outages affecting consumers across Mackay.

Major damage to businesses in the Glenella area has been reported.

Sewage has backed up in some parts of Mackay and entered the floodwaters. People are asked to avoid contact with floodwaters if possible.

Mackay MP and Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin said the damage bill would “easily be in the millions” from the 625mm downpour, with many homes swamped, schools and businesses closed and roads cut.

He said people were this afternoon starting to turn up at six evacuation centres, which were prepared to receive up to 1,000 residents, as the rain eased.

More flooding in Mackay

Electrical storms took out telephone lines, leaving the city with only mobile coverage, and the airport was closed due to floodwaters and debris.

He said among those affected was a local police officer whose house was submerged.

The floods are expected to peak later this afternoon but should recede quickly once high tide passes this evening.

Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts today declared the area a disaster zone, giving authorities the power to forcibly evacuate people and animals.

Two boys seen boogie boarding in floodwaters and initially believed to have gone missing were found safe and well by police today.

Firefighters rescued two people trapped on the roof of their car on Seaforth Road, Mackay.

Authorities also issued a warning after a number of unconfirmed sightings of crocodiles near homes.

Emergency Management Queensland chief Frank Pagano said emergency authorities had been surprised by the intensity of the falls, despite receiving a severe weather warning from the bureau of meteorology around 5pm (AEST) yesterday.

“There have been predictions all week in relation to heavy rain but I think it would be very difficult for the bureau to predict falls of over 200mm,” Mr Pagano said.

“It would be great to say to the public, `Brace yourself, you’re going to get 600mm of rain’, (but) it’s impossible.”

Mr Roberts, who met with authorities at the State Disaster Coordination Centre in Brisbane this morning, said police and SES volunteers were finding it hard to move around the city.

The Bruce Highway south of the city has been cut by floodwaters while only limited road access is available to the north of the city and the airport has also been inundated.

“Also there is a lot of difficulties with the communication networks in terms of the mobile network and the landline,” Mr Roberts said.

Queensland police have established a hotline, 1800 100 188, to give the public information about the flood situation.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced a joint state-federal natural disaster relief and recovery arrangements for Mackay and 12 other areas of the state.

“This will enable local families, small businesses operators, primary producers and councils to access a range of assistance measures,” Mr Rudd said.

Emergency Management Queensland executive director Kevin Pagano said the worst hit area appeared to be Glenella, in the city’s north-west.

He told reporters after a telephone hookup with disaster authorities today that up to 1,000 people may need evacuating.

Mr Pagano said four evacuation centres had now been set up, at the Andergrove Neighbourhood Centre, Mackay North High School, the State Emergency Service (SES) shed in Ness Street and Glenella State School.

Mackay was declared a disaster area this morning after receiving 625mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am, and more rain later in the morning.

Numerous sightings of crocodiles in the area have sparked an official warning today.

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts formally declared the central Queensland city a disaster area, giving authorities full powers to evacuate people and animals to ensure public safety and order.

Authorities are hoping widespread flooding across the central Queensland may ease once a high tide passes this afternoon, as 15,000 sandbags are sent to the city where torrential rain is continuing.

More than 350mm fell on Mackay in six hours early today causing widespread local and flash flooding, Bureau of Meteorology senior engineer Jeff Perkins said.

He said most of the rain came in a four-hour period to 7am (AEST), with 150mm recorded in just one hour.

And it was still raining, with rain forecast to continue until this afternoon, he said.

“We’re watching the system very carefully,” Mr Perkins said.

“For it to really become a big river flood the rainfall would need to move further inland ... it’s a very interesting situation.

”We’ve had severe weather warning for the area overnight ... we expected heavy rainfall.

“I don’t think we expected it to be quite as heavy as this.”

Mackay City Council deputy mayor Don Rolls said the full extent of flooding of homes, roads and businesses was still not clear.

“We haven’t got a full picture at this point in time because obviously we don’t want to put our workers at risk trying to get out and survey the situation,” Mr Rolls said.

But he said it was hoped flooding would ease by low tide about 1pm (AEST).

“In a lot of the low-lying areas southeast of Mackay that tide holds up the stormwater,” he said.

“So as that tide proceeds, that should ease the flooding situation.”

But there would still be a lot of localised flooding caused by the deluge, he said.

“In my 25 years in Mackay I’ve never seen rain of this strength and in the short duration we’ve had it,” Mr Rolls said.

“It’s truly a mini-cyclone.”

Premier Anna Bligh said the government was pulling out all stops in response to the flooding.

Ms Bligh said the government was working as fast as it could to deal with the emergency.

“This is a very rapidly emerging situation,” Ms Bligh said.

“It’s too early yet to know the extent of flooding.

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”But we do know with the airport closed and telecommunications down it’s going to be some time before the full extent of what is happening in Mackay is obvious.

“But we will be getting whatever resources we can in there as quickly as we can.”

Ms Bligh is in Cairns today to talk to indigenous mayors about possible alcohol bans.

Meanwhile, 15,000 sandbags were being sent to the central region with State Emergency Service (SES) personnel, ambulance staff and firefighters run off their feet answering calls for help from flooded residents, an Emergency Management Queensland spokesman said.

“We’ve had residents reporting water up to one foot (0.3 metres) deep through some homes and the majority of calls for assistance are requests for sandbags to protect their properties,” he said.

Firefighters were also called to rescue two people trapped on the roof of their car on Seaforth Road, Mackay, he said.

“At this stage the situation is obviously still developing as people wake up to find whatever they find around their home,” he said.

Authorities were asking residents to stay home this morning and call 132 500 for flood assistance.

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Charleville floods

Originally published as Mackay: The flooded city