‘Severe, unstable’ thunderstorms to sweep east coast of Australia
The threat of heavy rain in Queensland has shifted north to Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, while large parts of NSW and Victoria could face major flooding events.
The threat of intense storms in Queensland has shifted to Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, while a new dangerous system brings the risk of life-threatening floods to parts of Victoria and New South Wales.
Australian Defence Force personnel have been deployed across the battered southeast Queensland, as rain continues to pummel the country’s saturated east coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued a stern warning of “unstable” thunderstorms set to sweep across the entire east coast of Australia on Tuesday, placing major cities in the firing line.
Flash flooding, damaging winds and large hailstones were predicted for various parts of Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales, with the Bureau issuing an alert for Victoria after lunchtime.
Forecaster Miriam Bradbury said the risk of severe storms was increasing across parts of NSW and much of Victoria as moisture moves south.
Severe Weather Update: Heavy rain and flash flooding for south-east #Qld, and severe storms for Australia's south-east.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) January 2, 2024
Video current at 1pm AEDT 2 January 2024.
Latest: https://t.co/4W35o8iFmh or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/CyZ6tzpsBp
“Our thunderstorm forecast for today shows just how unstable the areas are over eastern Australia, with thunderstorms possible pretty much everywhere except for Tasmania,” Ms Bradbury said.
“Severe thunderstorms have already been seen in Victoria today with heavy rain, damaging winds and large hailstones,” she said.
Damaging conditions had left more than 26,000 homes without power across the western half of Victoria on Tuesday afternoon, according to Powercor.
The Victorian BoM’s latest warning was for life-threatening flash flooding for parts of the East Gippsland, Northern Country, North East, West and South Gippsland, Central and North Central districts.
Meanwhile, up to 350mm of rain has been forecast to hit South East Queensland and northern NSW, with residents and emergency services scrambling to prepare for further damage.
Severe weather warnings were in place for the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast regions, with locals told to stay on high alert for flooding.
Senior meteorologist David Grant said flood warnings were in place for Albert and Logan rivers after “significant rises overnight”, as well as Nerang and Coomera Rivers on the Gold Coast.
“We do have flood warnings in place, particularly around our Gold Coast areas, but being mindful this weather system is probably going to see the focus of it shift towards Brisbane and upwards towards the Sunshine Coast during the course of (Tuesday),” he said.
“With that, that’s where we can probably see our primary flood risk during the course of today, tonight and potentially even into early parts of Wednesday morning.”
Mr Grant said the threat of widespread river flooding in Brisbane, similar to the February 2022 disaster, was “fairly low” but there was still an increased risk of localised flash flooding.
About 50 ADF troops will be sent out to help clear debris in parts of the southeast impacted by wild Christmas storms after requests for more help from the Queensland government.
Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt has warned against using ADF too often to help in natural disasters, with its primary role to defend Australia.
“We are obviously always prepared to make sure that we use the ADF when the circumstances require, but what we need to do is work out what are some other options that we have at the federal level to supplement the resources that states and territories have,” he said.
“We need to remember that with climate change, we are going to be seeing more of these extreme weather events than we have in the past.”
Acting Premier Cameron Dick said areas smashed by Christmas storms had been inundated again this week, and announced financial relief for small businesses at the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan.
“I know a lot of people are tired and frustrated, I understand that … but please keep your families and your friends safe,” he said.
Disaster assistance loans up to $250,000 will be available for primary producers and small businesses and separate loans up to $100,000 for business operations such as paying rent and staff wages.
Heavy rainfall in South East Queensland could require water to be released from North Pine and Somerset Dam within the next 24-48 hours, Seqwater has warned.
Seqwater announced on Tuesday morning that its Flood Operations Centre has moved to the “alert” action level due to significant rainfall over the next 24 hours.
Water is not expected to be released from Wivenhoe Dam at this stage.
Seqwater said “the situation will continue to be monitored by a Flood Operations Engineer, with updates to follow”.
Gateless dams including Cedar Pocket, Nindooinbah and Wyaralong Dam are all currently spilling excess water.
Residents downstream to Leslie Harrison Dam, Little Nerang Dam and Wappa Dam have also been warned of “potential hazards downstream” including “fast flowing or deep water near waterways or flood plains” due to continuing rain in the respective catchment areas.
The announcement comes as The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for the state’s south east between Coolangatta and Maryborough, with hourly rainfall totals expected to fall between 100 and 200mm.
The Bureau said isolated 24 hourly totals exceeding 350mm are possible and residents are warned to be aware of “life threatening” flash flooding.
Emergency services have conducted 20 swift water rescues since 5am on Monday morning, and have rescued an additional 50 people from homes, campgrounds and vehicles.
The SES have received over 700 calls for help in the past 24 hours and 4800 calls since Christmas Day.
Since 9.00am, Cedar Creek has received 266mm of rainfall, 242mm at Wongawallan, 236mm at North Tamborine, 217mm at Mount Tamborine and 157mm at Beenleigh.
Residents on the South East Coast, far southeastern Wide Bay and Burnett area are being warned to stay aware of flash flooding and not to drive unless necessary.
The Bureau has also suggested communities in south eastern regions remain “inside a strong building” until the storm has passed and to keep doors and windows closed.
Today, the Queensland Government’s request for ADF assistance in the clean up of the recent storms on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, has been approved by the Federal Government.
Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said the support will allow access to vital state infrastructure.
“What that will involve is deploying about 50 ADF personnel and high clearance vehicles to assist with the recovery effort across the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan City Council areas,” Mr Watt said.
“Those ADF personnel will be focusing on the clearance of debris to enable better access to essential infrastructure. We know that right across those three councils there remains quite a lot of the energy network which needs replacement, power lines that are down.
“One of the issues is accessing that infrastructure as well as water treatment plants (and) telecommunication infrastructure.”
30 ADF personnel will be on the ground from Thursday and will be available to the Queensland Government for a week, but the support can be extended if needed.
Mr Watt said “it is important to recognise … that the Queensland government has done an excellent job of mobilising their own personnel”.
QFES Deputy Commissioner Kevin Walsh said most Queenslanders are heeding warnings but urged residents to stay up to date with warnings and their surroundings.
“We’ve got operational crews right across the coast from Bundaberg right down to the (NSW) border but the main area we continue to keep an eye on is that Gold Coast hinterland and also Scenic Rim,” Mr Walsh told Sky News on Tuesday.
“The ground in the Gold Coast area, Scenic Rim, Gold Coast hinterland is absolutely saturated.
“So with these continued showers, conditions change very very quickly and people have been caught unawares through flooded causeways, the creek systems and the river systems.”
Mr Walsh said QFES has conducted thousands of damage assessments as heavy rainfall and flood waters batter homes on the south east.
“So the damage assessments have been completed on just under 4000 properties and so far …. approximately just under 900 homes have been affected in some way whether it be minor, right through to severe or totally demolished,” he said.
Mr Walsh said residents need to “keep up to date with the weather warnings and the other information that comes through the media in the next 24 hours”.
He said said residents are “probably safer to stay in their homes at present and stay off the roads” as no evacuations are planned but urged Queenslanders to remain aware of road closures by accessing the transport and main roads website.
An additional request for clean-up support resources has been made to the Australian government, Mr Chelepy said.
“We now know the clean up is going to be far greater than the clean-up we had from Christmas Day and Boxing Day,” Mr Chelepy said.
Multiple evacuation centres have opened in Nerang, Coomera and Tamborine Mountain and more than 500 SES personnel have been deployed to the region since Christmas.
Queensland Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli called on the government to hand out financial relief to small businesses affected by storms.
“It’s reached the point now where it just appears that the state government is completely and utterly tone deaf to how serious this issue is,” he said.
“They should be banging on the door of Canberra to make sure that they pay for their fair share.”
Personal hardship payments of $180 for individuals and up to $900 for a family of five, are available to residents impacted by severe storms in southeast Queensland.
Victorian Premier backflips: gas cooktops to be spared from state’s net zero road map
In a major policy reversal, the state Labor government will allow Victorians to continue cooking with gas in the kitchen for as long as they like and laws will be introduced to encourage new offshore gas storage projects to boost supply and reduce risks of energy shortages.
Ditch the ‘flexibility stigma’ on hybrid work, bosses told
Greater job flexibility is seeing more women in their 30s, 40s and 50s shifting from part-time to full-time work, a new study finds.