QLD flood updates: Pontoon floats away carrying crane as 15,000 homes flood
The weather situation in Queensland is something that has “never been seen before”, with almost a year’s worth of rain being dumped in just days.
A pontoon carrying a huge crane has broken loose from its anchorage on the Brisbane River as the floods continue to wreak havoc across Queensland’s southeast.
Police issued an evacuation alert for people at Howard Smith Wharves and the riverside walkway after the crane was swept away, with the Courier Mail reporting a helicopter circling above telling the public to stay clear.
More than 15,000 homes have been flooded and two men have been killed, while at least four others are missing.
Shelves in local supermarkets including Coles and Woolworths have reportedly been stripped bare, as the floods make replenishing supplies impossible.
One rescue was executed by police this morning about 9.40am, with officers pulling an injured 65-year-old man from a houseboat in the Albert River near Eagleby.
Multiple towns are facing evacuation orders after the Brisbane River reached a peak of 3.85m this morning. The Bureau of Meteorology warned it could reach 4m by the end of the day.
The deadly flood waters have remained below the levels seen during the devastating 2011 floods, but BOM warned another “significant peak” could occur tomorrow morning at 9am during high tide, with a top expected of about 3.7m.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk branded this a “major weather event”, comparing it to ex-tropical cyclone Oswald in 2013 and ex-tropical cyclone Debbie in 2017.
She said this weather event is something authorities have “never seen before”.
Diana Eadie from the Bureau of Meteorology said some of the rainfall totals over southeast Queensland are closer to what officials would expect to see over a year rather than a few days,
“Some of the rainfall totals that we have seen over the course of this event have been approaching rainfall totals that we would normally expect over the course of a year,” she said.
“The significance of this event can’t be understated how much rain has fallen over a large number of catchments across South East Queensland.”
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🌧ï¸Another day with widespread rainfall totals 300-400mm across #SEQ. Highest in the state at #UpperSpringbrook 530mm. Highest in Brisbane area at #BrackenRidgeRes 444mm. Rain easing today, however #QldFloods will continue for next few days. https://t.co/FBmpsInT9opic.twitter.com/AtWcMZsCUV
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 27, 2022
At least 15,000 homes across Brisbane have been impacted by the floods, with more than 51,000 Queenslanders now without power.
“As you can see, this is a really big event and the event is not over. With the Mary River, we saw those high levels in Gympie,” Ms Palaszczuk said on Monday.
“We had mayor George Seymour on the phone and we now expect Maryborough to peak later on today. They could be very high levels as well.
“Then we are monitoring the Logan and Albert Rivers, we are expecting them to peak later on and we are also putting a watch on Dalby because this system is impacting out there as well.”
Ms Palaszczuk said the “unpredictable rain bomb” has impacted the entirety of Queensland’s south east.
According to the Courier Mail, reports of looting have begun to emerge in some Brisbane suburbs where homes are still flooded.
Oxley residents told the publication they had warned off a number of people who were travelling from house to house in kayaks.
The Wivenhoe Dam jumped from 80 per cent capacity to 160 per cent in just two days. This morning it was at 182.9 per cent.
The Mary River in Maryborough is predicted to rise to 10.7m, with the peak expected to be hit on Monday night.
The BOM warned the river could reach the peak height observed during tropical cyclone Oswald in 2013.
Flood releases have taken place from the Somerset, Wivenhoe, and North Pine dams.
Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour took to Facebook to urge people to stay out of flood waters.
“We want as few people out and about as possible as it gets in the way people doing essential jobs to prepare for the floods and it risks people’s lives,” he said in a video.
“Stay out of flood waters, keep your children away from the flood waters because it is very dangerous.”
Residents in Logan have been warned major flooding along the Logan River is expected to peak today, with levels to predicted to hit 1.5 metres above the 2017 flood levels.
At least 140 suburbs are under threat from the swollen Brisbane River this morning, with an earlier emergency alert from Brisbane City Council warning “major flooding” was likely.
The Courier Mail reported text message alerts were sent around 8pm on Sunday after updated advice was issued from BOM.
“Major flooding likely on the Brisbane River,” the text read.
“Evacuate if required. Stay out of flood water. Check roads and plan your journey if evacuating.”
The BOM said southeast Queensland is for another day of high rainfall totals, with 300-400mm across the region, with the highest at Upper Springbrook with 530mm.
The highest total in Brisbane is at Bracken Ridge with 444mm.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service issued an emergency alert, listing multiple suburbs at risk.
River levels are expected to remain high throughout Monday following the peak and are not expected to drop below moderate flood level for at least the next few days.
A severe weather warning is in place for parts of southeast Queensland, with the Gold Coast in particular in the firing line today.
Heavy rainfall and risk of flash flooding is expected to focus on the Gold Coast and hinterland today, with six hourly rainfall totals between 60 and 120mm likely as the rain moves south.
“Locally intense rainfall leading to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding with thunderstorms remains a possibility with this system,” BOM warned.
“Six-hourly rainfall totals in excess of 180mm are possible.”
More than 700 roads remain closed across the state, including the M1, which has been cut off at Tallebudgera, Burleigh and Jacobs Well due to flooding.
Steve Irwin Way is also closed from Glenview to Beerburrum. Long delays are expected.
Diversions are in place for light vehicles at Palm Beach Ave.
Eight dead, more people missing
Eight people have now died as the result of flash flooding in southeast Queensland, with a man in his 50s becoming the latest victim of the dangerous weather.
The man died after his car was washed away in floodwaters in the Currumbin Valley, with police being called at 3am after the vehicle was spotting in waters over Currumbin Creek Road.
The vehicle was believed to have been driven 30 to 40 metres into flood waters but police and a water rescue team were unable to locate the car.
The vehicle was found submerged about 10 metres from the roadway at 10.45am, with a man and his dog found deceased inside the car.
In another incident, a 59-year-old man died after he came into trouble crossing the Cabbage Tree Creek Road in Fitzgibbon on foot at about 4.15pm on Sunday.
He was swept away by flood waters, with two members of the public raising the alarm.
Police and emergency services responding, conducting CPR on the man, however, he could not be revived and died at the scene.
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said authorities hold “grave concerns” for a number of other people.
There have been reports of a vehicle swept away by flood waters at Yatala this morning and a man was seen entering a flooded area at Goodna last night to retrieve animals.
There is also a report of a missing person near Esk and police are following up reports of a man who fells from a boat into the Brisbane River.
People in Brisbane, Ipswich and Lockyer Valley, Logan and Moreton Bay have been urged to conserve water.
Residents in Brisbane’s low-lying areas have been told to make sure they are prepared for the continuing floods.
Those evacuating their homes have been urged to leave early to ensure a safe route to their destination, with evacuation centres being opened around the city.
Almost 1000 schools across southeast Queensland will be closed today, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announcing 630 state schools and 356 catholic and independent schools would be shut due to the dangerous flooding.
People have also been urged to work from home if possible, with Ms Palaszczuk saying yesterday that the emergency situation would likely continue for the next three days.
“We never expected this rain. This rain bomb is just really, you know, it’s unrelenting,” she said.
“It’s just coming down in buckets, it’s not like a waterfall. It’s like waves of water just coming down.”
Brisbane breaks almost 130-year record
Chief Meteorologist at Sky News, Tom Saunders, said the major flooding is likely to continue into the early part of the week for southeast Queensland.
“However, eventually the heavy rain will be shifting towards the south and hopefully off the NSW coast,” he said.
Mr Saunders revealed the torrential rain around Brisbane has broken an almost 130-year record.
“Brisbane now has seen its wettest February since 1893,” he said.
“The damage bill will likely run into hundreds of millions of dollars for this flood event through southeast Queensland.”
He noted the severe weather has lasted “quite a bit longer” than the original forecasts suggested.
Mr Saunders explained the ongoing rain is being fuelled by a high pressure system to the north and a low pressure system to the south.
“Winds go anticlockwise around high, clockwise around lows. Therefore, a very humid, easterly airstream is pumping moisture onto the coast,” he explained.
“But it is that trough that has been sitting near the coast for about a week now that has been leading to these, in some cases, record falls – rather than just a couple of hours of heavy rain and storms that you often see during the middle of summer.”
On Monday, the heaviest rainfalls will begin shifting towards northern NSW, with authorities hoping the system will them move off the coast later in the day.
But this doesn’t mean the wet weather will completely disappear, with showers and storms expected to stick around Australia’s east coast for at least another week.
Evacuation warnings in place
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service issued an emergency alert last night for 140 Brisbane suburbs, with residents urged to evacuate.
More alerts for areas of Queensland were issued throughout the night.
Just after 2am on Sunday, residents in the Wivenhoe Pocket area were warned they were “at risk” and were told to move to the local RFS station, Fernvale State School or Lowood State High school.
Another alert was issued at 3.20am by the Moreton Bay Regional Council for people in White Patch, Bribie Island, warning water supply had been cut to the area due to a section of road and water pipe washing away on White Patch Esplanade.
Unitywater, Council, SES and Volunteer Marine Rescue are working to get bottled water and other supplies to those that have been impacted.
The Scenic Rim Regional Council have urged people in low lying areas of Purga Creek, Warrill View and Harrisville to prepare to leave due to flash flooding and to warn their neighbours.
Late on Sunday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said plans were underway for a clean-up operation, describing the floods as a “serious situation”.
He revealed the ADF is also on standby to help and government disaster payments would be available to those affected.
“The key message that we have is it important for people to keep safe – people should not be driving around and looking at this event and sightseeing on those things,” he said.
“Remain at home in a place of shelter unless there is an order to evacuate to one of the many shelters.”
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