Emergency flood alert issued for Townsville, North Queensland as torrential rain, flooding smashes city

Emergency services have deployed multiple water rescue crews as torrential rain and flash flooding smashes one Aussie city.

Emergency services have deployed multiple rescue crews around the North Queensland region of Townsville as flash flooding and torrential rain pounds the area.

A flood alert has been issued for the tropical zone, located about 1350km north of Brisbane, and already Queensland Fire and Rescue boat crews have helped rescue two persons from a vehicle stuck in floodwaters.

“The Queensland Fire Department has swift water rescue crews pre-positioned across all impacted areas,” a QFES spokeswoman told NewsWire on Friday night.

“The public should call triple-0 in emergencies.”

Water rescue crews have been pre-positioned across impacted areas of the North Queensland region of Townsville, after a deluge of rain led to flash flooding. Picture: Supplied / Channel 7

A flood alert has been issued for the tropical zone, located about 1350km north of Brisbane. Picture: Supplied / Channel 7

Earlier, QFES deployed eight swift water rescue crews to search for a person who reportedly went missing in floodwaters.

The person self-extricated from the water, the QFES spokeswoman said, and is now safe and well.

The Townsville Local Disaster Management Group said at 6pm “localised flooding” was hitting the city.

“Prepare to leave. Conditions could change quickly.”

The Queensland Department of Main Roads’ traffic map shows flood waters over the Bruce Highway just south of Townsville at the Port Access Road and Abbott Road intersection.

The Bureau of Meteorology, meanwhile, has warned that major flooding is possible along the Ross River and expected along the Bohle River.

The likelihood of a tropical cyclone forming, showing it could be located within a 300 km radius from a given location and within a time window of 48 hours. Picture: ECMWF via Weatherzone

It has prompted authorities to start controlled releases of water from the Ross River Dam.

Townsville City Council warned this would contribute to flows downstream in the Ross River.

“With forecast heavy rainfall major flooding is expected at Aplins Weir during Saturday,” the bureau said in a warning issued on Friday evening.

“Heavy rainfall totals have been observed in the last 24 hours which have resulted in river level rises in the Ross, Bohle and Black Rivers.

“River and creek level rises have been observed in parts of the catchment.

A flood watch remains in place for coastal and adjacent inland catchments south of Cairns to Mackay. Picture: Supplied / Channel 7

Heavy rainfall is forecast over the next few days, which may cause further river and creek level rises.

A flood watch remains in place for coastal and adjacent inland catchments south of Cairns to Mackay, while a severe weather warning is also in place for parts of the North Tropical Coast, Tablelands, Herbert and Lower Burdekin regions.

A tropical cyclone could form by early next week – with Weatherzone stating monsoon winds and several tropical lows have helped kickstart the wet season in parts of Australia’s north.

The bureau is tracking six separate areas of low pressure in the tropical region- all of which could produce tropical lows or cyclones.

“At this stage, there are no clear signs that any tropical cyclones will make landfall over the Australian mainland in the coming week,” Weatherzone states.

“However, there is currently a high degree of uncertainty regarding the location, strength and movement of these tropical lows or cyclones, so the situation may change in the coming days.

Multiple tropical lows forming around Australia on Sunday. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology

“More heavy rain is expected to fall over northern Qld this weekend and early next week as the low pressure system continues to feed on a seemingly endless supply of tropical moisture.”

BOM senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said with soaked sections of the state facing prolonged heavy rains into next week, the forecast was a “big concern” for residents.

“That rainfall has kind of set the stage for possibly some pretty big flooding as we move into the weekend and early next week,” Mr Narramore said on Friday.

“Out catchments are now wet and saturated. We do have flood watches currently pretty much from Cairns all the way down to Mackay.

“From Innisfail all the way down to Tully and around Ayr, those locations, with this rainfall it could lead to not only flash flooding, but river flooding.

“As well as that really rapid response to flash flooding, particularly on the end of those heavy falls.”

Originally published as Emergency flood alert issued for Townsville, North Queensland as torrential rain, flooding smashes city