East Leichhardt Dam: Operation to rescue Easter campers caught in flood

Five people have been rescued near Mount Isa after families camping at East Leichhardt Dam were caught in rapidly rising waters.

The rescue scene. Pictures: Queensland Fire and Emergency Services

Five people have been rescued in a major operation between Mount Isa and Cloncurry after families camping at East Leichhardt Dam were caught in rapidly rising waters.

Queensland Police Service said emergency services responded to reports of 26 people stranded in a campground at East Leichardt Dam at 1.30am.

Emergency services said 26 people were stranded, including children. Pictures: Queensland Fire and Emergency Services

“All patients are accounted for, and no injuries were reported,” QPS said at about 11am on Sunday.

“Five stable patients requested transport from the site and 21 patients elected to remain on scene.”

Queensland Ambulance Service, in an earlier update, said water levels were receding and they were working with other emergency services to retrieve the stranded families.

He said at 10pm that a rescue crew had just extracted a family of three, namely a 43-year-old female and two boys, both aged under 10.

The rescue site. Pictures: Queensland Fire and Emergency Services

A crew remained on scene to get to another two people, he said.

QAS said there were no reported injuries.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said earlier that as many as 29 people, including children and infants, were caught out by heavy rain overnight, with the first call for help coming in at 1am.

The QFES spokeswoman said the operation was being hampered by poor communications given the remoteness of the location.

The Bureau of Meteorology said thunderstorms moved north through the Cloncurry-Mount Isa region at around 9pm on Saturday night.

“The rain gauge at East Leichardt Dam recorded 33mm in the three hours to 12pm on Saturday, with about 27mm recorded in the hour to 10:10pm,” a BOM spokeswoman said.

“The recorded rainfall is well below the heavy rainfall threshold but having around 30mm fall across the lake area could have led to a rise in the water levels given how saturated the region is.”

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said 29 people, including children and infants, were caught out by heavy rain in the vicinity of East Leichhardt Dam overnight, with the first call for help coming in at 1am.

The spokeswoman said the first river level gauge downstream on the Leichhardt River was at Doughboy Creek.

“This has risen from 1.51m at 5:15m this morning (Sunday) to 2.58m at 8am, consistent with river rises upstream at the East Leichardt Dam and Lake Mary Kathleen.”

She said Mount Isa had a 20 per cent chance of showers and thunderstorms on Sunday.

“However, the region is unlikely to record anymore rainfall today.”

Originally published as East Leichhardt Dam: Operation to rescue Easter campers caught in flood