Qld weather: Fresh flood threat as NQ slammed with almighty drenching

North Queensland residents have been warned to expect severe and life-threatening flooding over coming days following a deluge that inundated homes, cars and streets. LATEST FORECAST

North Queensland is bracing for another relentless deluge, with meteorologists warning that triple-digit rainfall totals are expected to hammer areas already drenched by more than 300mm in the past 24 hours.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Helen Reid said the system still had plenty of power left, with rainfall totals of 100mm or more - and in some places, potentially up to 200 millimetres - set to fall over the next day.

“We’re still looking at triple-figure rainfall tomorrow,” Ms. Reid said, adding that while conditions may ease by Tuesday, the region will remain extremely wet.

“Hopefully we are looking at things being a little bit more regular by the time we get to Tuesday.”

A low situated on the coast near Innisfail however could deliver intense rainfall with totals of up to 500mm possible in the next 24 hours, the bureau warned.

Wild weather continues to hit North Queensland. Picture: Mackay Weather Chasers

But what happens next remains uncertain.

The Bureau said it is still unclear whether the system will weaken and dissipate or shift its focus to another part of the state.

Ms Reid said forecasters were monitoring the situation closely, with hopes that monsoon trough dynamics could help weaken the system rather than redirect heavy rainfall elsewhere.

“It’s very hard to say whether it’s going to fizzle out or simply move on,” she said.

“We are hopeful of monsoon trough dynamics come into play... and that focal point may weaken and dissipate rather than just move away.”

Police have urged the community to be wary on the roads and to keep up to date with the warning after they were called to reports children were in floodwaters in a Townsville suburb.

The call was received about 5.45pm, upon arrival the two children were located out of the water and safe and well.

In the 24 hours since 6am January 31, State Emergency Services were called to 306 jobs including 222 in Townsville which were mostly sandbags and tarping.

As of Friday evening, SES had delivered 33,000 sandbags to Townsville City Council.

Major flood warnings remain in place for several rivers, including the Johnstone, Herbert, Ross, and Bohle Rivers.

“The Johnstone River got upgraded to major overnight, there’s a major warning for the Herbert River, and there’s also a major on the Ross and Bohle rivers as well,” Ms Reid said.

The slow-moving nature of the system means rainfall and strong winds will persist across the region throughout the weekend.

“That rainfall is going to keep falling for the next couple of days as that trough system isn’t expected to move away until early in the new week. It’ll be fairly slow-moving, just keeping everything focused in that North Tropical Cassowary Coast region,” Ms Reid said.

“We’re expecting in the next couple of days heavy rainfall, possibly intense rainfall,and damaging winds.”

The warning zone extends along the coastline from south of Cairns to south of Ayr, covering towns including Innisfail, Tully, Cardwell, Ingham, Townsville, Rollingstone, and some inland areas.

The impacts of the weather system have extended as far south as Mackay, where flash flooding was reported on Saturday morning after 100 to 150mm of rain fell across parts of the city in the past 24 hours.

Further north, Innisfail recorded 200mm on Friday night.

It comes after Premier David Crisafulli was forced to defend his handling of the flood response amid the wild weather.

In what has been dubbed the ‘Night of Noah’, biblical levels of flooding fell in parts of Townsville on Friday night, including almost 350mm of rain in 18 hours.

Emergency alerts were issued early Saturday morning for South Johnstone and Mourilyan in the Cassowary Coast region, with authorities urging residents to take immediate action.

A Flood Watch and Act message from the Cassowary Local Disaster Management Group warned that localised flooding was already occurring in the South Johnstone River Catchment, advising residents to leave immediately.

Flooding has impacted large parts of North Queensland. Picture: Mackay Weather Chasers

Meanwhile, in Mourilyan, a similar alert from the Cassowary Coast Regional Council cautioned that flooding may occur throughout the day, urging residents to prepare to move to higher ground as conditions could change rapidly.

Queensland Police have begun door-knocking in the worst-affected areas, notifying residents of the potential danger.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned residents to prepare for more severe and life-threatening flooding after multiple rescues and homes, vehicles and streets were inundated across Townsville.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli briefs the media on the forecast wild weather. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Local resident Tracy Raiteri whose home is pretty high up, described the rain as the ‘night of Noah’, but said her damage was so far limited to an overflowing pool and fish pond and a leak in her roof.

The ongoing downpour comes as Premier Crisafulli was slammed for his handling of the flood response.

Isolated heavy falls over Northeast Queensland this evening, becoming heavier and more widespread over the weekend.

Opposition leader Steven Miles on Friday launched an extraordinary attack on Mr Crisafulli, claiming the Premier is “out of his depth”.

Mr Miles argues Mr Crisafulli had failed to properly mobilise the state’s disaster management group.

The Premier received a briefing from emergency services at Kedron on Friday afternoon, however Police and Emergency Services Minister Dan Purdie and Local Government and Disaster Recovery Minister Ann Leahy did not appear to be present.

“The Premier should have set up the Queensland Disaster Management Committee before this storm system hit Far North Queensland and well before it hit North Queensland,” Mr Miles said.

“Preparation before a disaster can be the difference between life and death and David Crisafulli has neglected his duties in preparing Queenslanders for this disaster.

The severe weather forecast for Saturday. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology

“This summer has been more about holidays for David Crisafulli and his Disaster Recovery Minister and Disaster Management Minister than preparing Queenslanders for these inevitable weather events.”

A spokeswoman for the Premier rubbished the claims and said Mr Crisafulli briefed the disaster management group on Friday morning.

“The Premier briefed all members of the QDMC at 11.30am prior to addressing media at 1pm,” she said.

Mr Crisafulli is understood to have been in contact with mayors of affected communities for several days and was locked up at Kedron’s emergency services centre from 8am.
The disaster management group includes senior members of the government including the Energy and Health ministers and Deputy Premier.

Heavy rain lashes Townsville causing flash flooding. Ingham Road and Cowley Street intersection. Picture: Evan Morgan

Mr Crisafulli on Friday said Queensland was “well and truly prepared” for the rainfall and potential flooding.

“I can advise Queenslanders that we spent a lot of time ahead of the disaster season focusing on the preparation and the pre-deployment that has occurred in the past days has given me confidence about how well prepared we are,” he said.

The latest BOM warning showed 24-hour rainfall totals of 200 to 300mm are also likely over the broader warning area, with less widespread falls of up to 500mm.

Residents are also facing strong to damaging winds averaging 0 to 65km/h with peak gusts to around 90km/h from Saturday afternoon for the islands and coastal strip between Innisfail and Townsville.

Townsville’s forecast shows rain continuing over the next seven days with BOM warning the potential for heavy, locally intense rainfall and damaging winds may continue into early next week.

Various flood warnings and watches are in place over Northeast Queensland, including for Townsville, Palm Island, Ingham, Innisfail, Ayr, Home Hill, Cardwell, Tully, Giru, Ravenshoe and Lucinda.

Originally published as Qld weather: Fresh flood threat as NQ slammed with almighty drenching