Laidley floods: Aerial drone footage reveals extent of damage caused by ex-TC Alfred
WATCH THE VIDEO: Incredible footage has been released showcasing the damage already unleashed on a small town by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Gatton
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Incredible footage has outlined the full extent of Laidley’s flood devastation due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, with the meteorologists warning more could be on the way for the Lockyer Valley town.
Off-duty firefighter and paramedic Glen Ingram captured amazing aerial drone video of the township on Monday at 9am, which showcased the flooding through the CBD along with several neighbouring streets
The footage also showed how widespread the flooding has become, with paddocks on nearby properties also turned into shallow lakes.
It comes after the Bureau of Meteorology maintained a severe flood warning for the town, with Laidley’s catchment already full and more rain predicted across the next 24 hours.
Mr Ingram, who has lived in Laidley for more than 15 years, said the flooding was the worst he had captured with drone footage was approaching the levels seen during the 2011-13 events.
“Comparing it back to the 2011-2013 floods, I’d saying it’s fairly close to being that again — having said that, we didn’t have any flood mitigation then,” he said.
“It’s probably the spread out across the town — you can see how far it’s penetrated into the smaller streets.
“It’s causing a lot of stress and anxiety and a lot more calls for assistance from the community.
“People can truly gauge how the water has come up.”
Mr Ingram said community spirit was high, particularly to support the town’s newer residents who had not experienced a flood event before.
“For the people who have gone through the previous floods, they’re old hands at it — most people know what to expect,” he said.
“It’s the people who have just moved to here who are posting and asking other locals whether they know if their home will be okay or not.
“You can read (on social media) is a degree of stress, anxiety but people band together here to help each other out.
“The next phase will be the water will go down, the mud army comes out and we all work together.”
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