Moreton Bay Region’s no stranger to storms
THE Moreton Bay Region is no stranger to storms with the archives showing severe storms hit every storm season. The key is to be ready. Here are some tips to protect you and your family.
Moreton Life
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FOR historian Kelly Ashford, seeing the Moreton Bay Region lashed by severe storms in 2018 comes as no surprise.
“Part of my job is to go through newspaper articles and photos from decades ago right through to today, and without a doubt, every time summer rolls around there’s always a story about flash floods and severe storms,” Kelly explains.
She points to 1954 when boats were left in trees at Beachmere following a severe tropical cyclone, and to 1974 when widespread flooding impacted the entire southeast corner and inundated areas like Mt Glorious with more than 1310mm of rain.
“Meanwhile in 1989 winds of 185km/h damaged hundreds of homes and as recently as 2016 saw close to 300mm of rainfall in just three hours causing widespread damage and chaos on the roads.”
Historic images of those events have been unveiled by Moreton Bay Regional Council and local frontline emergency services ahead of Get Ready Week, October 6-14 to encourage other families across the region to be prepared for severe weather. Local Disaster Management Group Chair Councillor Peter Flannery says the images demonstrate Moreton Bay is no stranger to storms and flash flooding, and highlight the need for families to ‘get ready’.
“If they happened more than 60 years ago, they can certainly happen today. Really, there’s no telling when the next disaster might strike, which is why it’s important to prepare your family and your property, and to know what to do if you are impacted by storms and flooding,” Cr Flannery says.
He says there are a few simple actions you can do to get ready, including signing up to council’s free MoretonAlert early warning alert service to receive storm warnings and check the council’s website to see if your property could be impacted be floods.
“It’s also important to start clearing gutters, downpipes and drains and trimming trees near your home.”
For Kelly, the photos are a strong reminder about the impact mother nature can have on the region. “That’s why I always make sure me and my family are ready, whatever the weather,” she says.
To sign up for MoretonAlert visit moretonbay.qld.gov.au/moretonalert
To conduct a free flood check visit moretonbay.qld.gov.au/floodcheck/
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