Gold Coast weather: Street evacuated after landslip puts house in danger of collapse
Emergency services have evacuated a Gold Coast street after a landslip raised fears that a house might slide down a hill. SEE PICTURES AND VIDEO
Gold Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Gold Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Number of Gold Coast residents who depend on JobKeeper
- Hit US TV series to have second season filmed on the Coast
A SMALL group of people evacuated after a landslip placed a home in danger of sliding down a hill were left stranded for hours when waters rose in Wongawallan.
The Crest Hill Drive home is in a precarious position after a small landslip left it sitting on a newly formed cliff.
LATEST: BOM WARN OF MORE HEAVY RAINFALL FOR COAST
Police asked the residents to leave. Neighbours below where the home is situated were also asked to evacuate.
But as they tried to evacuate water rose, stranding a number of people on the street.
Residents, media, police, council workers and Energex crews were among those stranded.
A Bulletin photographer stranded at the scene said police were waiting for fire crews to arrive to help evacuate everyone.
However at about 5pm the water dropped enough for firies to give the group permission to leave in their own vehicles.
The street has also been blocked off.
Emergency services were first called to the home at about midday on Monday.
CITY ‘DODGES A BULLET’ ON SUNDAY NIGHT, BUT NEXT 24 HOURS CRITICAL
THE Hinze Dam is full and overflowing with flood water but the Gold Coast on Sunday night appeared to have dodged a bullet, preventing major flooding.
A key factor was the timing of the downpour, with the high tide not until later this afternoon and not at king tide level size.
The Hinze dam’s level is topping 106 per cent, and Little Nerang Dam just above 104 per cent. Data from Seqwater has tracked the impact of recent wet weather with both dams recorded as slightly overspilling on March 12.
The weekend downpour on the Coast, despite leading to gridlock on roads during the morning rush on Monday and localised flooding, could not have been better timed.
“There should be a good flush out of the water (from the dams) for the next few hours. We have definitely dodged a bullet,” an emergency services source said.
“The next high tide is at 3.30pm or 4pm, and it’s not that big. We are not having king tides.”
Mayor Tom Tate told the Bulletin: “So far, we have held up well despite significant rainfall right across the city and hinterland catchments.
“The high tide around 2am today (seaway) was not a king tide so the rivers continue to flush out.
“The next high tide is early this afternoon and again, the level is not too high that will force the rivers to bank back up.
“This has been a major factor in our favour throughout this event - smaller high tides than usual giving the rivers and creeks time to gouge.”
However, following a fresh warning from the Bureau of Meteorology that more torrential downpours could hit the city tonight, Cr Tate said the next 24 hours would be critical for the city.
The Mayor admitted this afternoon reaching into tonight will be critical in terms of damage to the city.
“We want the water to get down from the catchments, into the major rivers and out to sea as quickly as possible. This afternoon (3pm) is the next high tide but that is only predicted to be .92 metres,” he said.
“Again, this will allow the rivers to keep flowing out to sea but given the BOM alert just now, the next 24 hours is critical.
“City crews and the SES are doing what they can. My best advice is: if it’s flooded, forget it.”
COUNCIL WARNING
The council at 11am on Monday provided an updated warnings for “low properties in the Currumbin, Mudgeeraba and Tallebudgera catchments, that those areas would be impacted by floodwater in the next few hours.
Rainfall totals of between 60 - 230 mm had been observed in the catchment area since 9am Sunday morning.
The Bureau of Meteorology released the following warnings:
* For the Pimpama and Coomera Rivers, there would be moderate flooding at Clagiraba Road.
* For the Nerang River, despite the heavy rainfall, it remains below the minor flood level. Rivers will respond quickly to any further heavy rainfall, BOM says.
* Further rises are expected at Mudgeeraba Creek, Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks.
Flood Safety Advice: For flood damage call SES on 1 3 2 500 and in a life-threatening emergency call triple zero. Stay up to date at dashboard.cityofgoldcoast.com.au
Join the conversation
‘Pulled out small knife’: Senior attacked at GC shop centre
Shocking images have surfaced from Nerang Fair Shopping Centre where a 68-year-old man was attacked at knifepoint allegedly by a young male teen.
Read more
‘Public interest’ in bankrupting Coast lawyer
A decision is expected within weeks on whether a disgraced ex-lawyer will be bankrupted in a landmark Federal Court case. Read what happened in the hearing’s final day:
Read more