Premier David Crisafulli in Townsville as North Queensland hit by fresh floods
A fresh emergency flood warning has been issued for parts of one state as monsoon troughs and heavy rain hammer residents.
Wild weather continues to cause havoc across parts of North Queensland, with another major flood warning announced by the state’s emergency services.
Queensland Police issued a fresh emergency warning on Saturday morning for a major flood at the Haughton River at Giru, located near Townsville.
The Bureau of Meteorology has advised the current level is 2.93m and may reach 3m today.
The peak flood height earlier this week hit 3.13m.
The police are urging locals near the flood area to move to higher ground.
The already sodden parts of North Queensland are expecting even more rain throughout the weekend and into Monday.
Premier David Crisafulli, speaking in Townsville on Saturday, urged residents to remain connected and continue to work together through the floods.
“The risk of widespread heavy rainfall has reduced but there is still the prospect of those monsoonal bursts and we saw them overnight,” he said.
There are major flood warnings remain for the Flinders, The Murray, Herbert, Haughton and the Burdekin Catchment regions.
“There remains the prospect of rivers continuing to rise and fall and therefore the road situation remains very volatile,” Mr Crisafulli said.
Mr Crisafulli also addressed temporary and immediate support measures for flood victims in Ingham.
Floodwaters rushed through the North Queensland town burying the local bridge out as well as cutting off power and phone lines.
After a temporary bridge was installed as part of phase one, Mr Crisafulli said the region was moving onto the next phase of the plan which includes repairing the bridge.
“We are hopeful if in the first half of next week the road will be open again to traffic,” he said.
“To think we had a bridge washed away, hanging by a thread and in less than a week has seen an immediate solution is quite frankly amazing.
“It will give the town that next ray of hope.
“That immediate solution enabled the emergency service vehicles to go in. The temporary solution will enable life to return to normal.
“Then the permanent solution of long-term, stronger, higher and better [bridge].”
The pledge to build back comes as reports of wild weather continues to hit the north with an excess of 200mm in areas spanning from Tully to Ayr, south of Townsville, before additional rainfall blankets the region through Monday.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned a strengthening monsoon trough lingering across northern parts of Queensland would drive the intensification of rainfall in tandem with a tropical low off the coast.
The Whitsunday Coast airport cancelled all flights on Friday due to forecast heavy rainfall.
High weekend totals and another severe weather warning delivers a fresh blow for residents who have battled wild weather all week.
Forecaster Weatherzone has described the week’s deluge as a “one-in-2000 year” event, with numerous locations between Townsville and Cairns receiving around 1500 millimetres of rain within three days, resulting in major flooding, widespread evacuations, and two flood-related deaths.
“The monsoon refers to the seasonal reversal of the wind pattern over northern Australia, where the dry east to south-easterly winds that dominate for much of the year are replaced by west to north-westerly winds, “ Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said.
“This rain may cause further flooding in areas of northern Qld that are still reeling from the immense rainfall totals that occurred over the past couple of weeks.”
“Active phases of the monsoon can also enhance the likelihood of tropical lows and tropical cyclones near Australia.”
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