Cyclone Marcia: Floods, rain as clean-up operation begins

SEVERE thunderstorms are forecast throughout Queensland as a major clean-up continues after Cyclone Marcia flattened homes, blacked out more than 60,000 people and caused widespread flooding.

WHAT WE KNOW:

* Cyclone Marcia has been downgraded to a tropical low but many residents endured a damp and dark night with thousands left without electricity.

* Power is expected to be cut for several days and emergency services are calling on residents to use water only when absolutely necessary.

* The severe tropical cyclone made landfall as a category 5 cyclone and has left a trail of destruction over Yeppoon and Rockhampton.

*The cyclone was at category 5 when it grazed Yeppoon battering the coastal town with 285km/h winds. It was downgraded to category 3 when it hit Rockhampton in the afternoon.

* Marcia’s destructive core with gusts to 155km/h continued southward towards Biloela.

* In the Northern Territory, Cyclone Lam made landfall as a category 4 system and has now been downgraded to a tropical low.

* AS IT HAPPENED: CYCLONE MARCIA ATTACKS

A NEW weather threat is emerging as the clean-up begins across Queensland in the aftermath of Cyclone Marcia.

The weather bureau has issued warnings for severe thunderstorms from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast while another thunderstorm developed near Caloundra.

Residents of Brisbane and the Gold Coast have been bracing for more bad weather today with winds as high as 90km/h possible and heavy rain.

Late this morning, the weather bureau revised down the amount of rainfall expected in the southeast from 300mm to 125mm.

The rain warnings stretch as far south as the north coast of NSW, where flash flooding is possible.

More than 60 SES teams remain on standby and are handing out sandbags with further rain and damaging winds expected to hit mid north-coast today, Sky News reported.

At least 60,000 homes are without power.

Debris from homes is scattered along the streets of Gladstone. PHOTO: Natalia Muszkat

There are flood fears as the clean up from Cyclone Marcia continues.

Several dams in Queensland were already overflowing however there were no fears the Wivenhoe Dam upstream of Brisbane would overflow.

On the Sunshine Coast, 42 people have been evacuated amid fears of flash flooding although authorities insist it is just a precautionary measure.

Winds could still reach 90km/h in southeast Queensland today — but that is far below what residents in central Queensland faced yesterday.

One Yeppoon resident told Sky News the damage was “like a bomb going off”.

Winds ripped off roofs, blew out windows and sent large trees crashing through walls. Some homes in Yeppoon were completely destroyed.

Cyclone Marcia Destroyed houses in Yeppoon. Picture: Jack Tran

A boy walks past a fence brought down by Tropical Cyclone Marcia along a road in Yeppoon.

Tony and Vicki Harris saw their neighbour’s home on the corner of John and Vaughan streets in Yeppoon lift up and slam into their home, smashing apart the veranda.

A large section of the Harris's’ roof was also torn off and rain soaked their lounge room.

“We heard all these bangs, the neighbour lost his roof and the next minute I could see the sky through mine,” Mr Harris told the Courier Mail.

The local Mayor, Bill Ludwig, said the damage would be in the “multi-millions”.

Two Queensland towns have been cut off after a “wall of water” from the first cyclone to hit in 40 years wrecked havoc.

Residents of Biloela and the nearby village of Jambin are cut off this morning, with flood levels rising in the wake of Cyclone Marica.

Gates at Callide Dam opened Friday night and spilt a “wall of water” downstream to Jambin, causing urgent evacuations of outlying properties.

Banana Shire Mayor Ron Carige said: “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said authorities would have a better picture of the impact today.

No chance of repeat of 2013 flooding event in #Bundaberg #TCMarcia

— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) February 20, 2015

Please be safe if in Northern NSW: Strong winds, heavy rain & flooding predicted today. Call #000 if you need us pic.twitter.com/Wa37DaIFwS

— NSW Ambulance (@NSWAmbulance) February 20, 2015

Rockhampton's Main Street East Street after #TCMarcia pic.twitter.com/xHI9GRmqnm

— paul robinson (@paulrobinsonabc) February 20, 2015

“We’ll have helicopters in the area and also there is a request in with the Australian Defence Force and they will also be carrying out an assessment of the damage in the areas around Rockhampton and Yeppoon.”

State Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner Peter Jeffrey warned about being complacent this morning.

“Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security ... We need to be vigilant and prepared.”

Mr Jeffrey said a full assessment of the damage would begin as crews moved into the worst damaged area, mainly around Yeppoon and Rockhampton.

There had already been 4500 calls to SES for help.

In Rockhampton though it appears people don’t just have fuelling their cars on their minds.

There's a 300m queue for fuel in Rockhampton...matched only by the queue at McDonalds! @TheTodayShow @9NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/uSlR7TLttx

— Joel Dry (@JoelDry9) February 20, 2015