General Chat

At least eight people have died in the latest wave of flooding in Queensland - described as an "inland tsunami" - and dozens more are missing.

Others are stranded on rooftops waiting for rescues that could not start before first light today.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh this morning said eight people had died in the Toowoomba area and another 11 were missing. She said wet weather was hampering the rescue efforts and the search for the 11 missing people.

A woman and a boy were found dead in the Toowoomba CBD and a man and a boy were killed at nearby Murphys Creek after a massive body of water from weeks of heavy rain tore through Toowoomba, 125km west of Brisbane, on Monday afternoon.

Ms Bligh said the situation in the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley areas was very serious.

Storm coming

More heavy rainfall and possible severe storms were expected in Toowoomba today.

Helicopters that were sent into the Lockyer Valley to search for stranded residents were being held back by very heavy rain this morning.

"Right now we have every possible available resource deployed into this region to search for those people that we know are missing," Ms Bligh said.

"This is going to be I think a very grim day, particularly for the people in that region, and a desperate hour here in Queensland."

'Like a cyclone had gone through'

Nine Network reporter Cameron Price is at Grantham and told the ABC the town had been devastated.

"The town is like a cyclone has gone through it," he said. "There are houses that are completely collapsed, cars that are halfway up trees, homes a kilometre away from where they were.

"The terrible news from here is that they took the bodies of two small children from the waters, they are the fifth and sixth victims here so far."

Toowoomba was unprepared for this event. The city of about 121,000 people sits about 700 metres above sea level, on the crest of the Great Dividing Range.

Until last year it was gripped by a decade-long drought and was forced in 2009, when dam levels dropped to an all-time low of 7.7 per cent, to pump water from the Great Artesian Basin.

Washed away in cars

Six people are confirmed missing in the Lockyer Valley - three young pedestrians and another three people who were washed away in two cars.

Another 30 people have sought refuge at a primary school in Grantham, also in the valley, but authorities say contact with them is virtually non-existent.

Toowoomba Mayor Peter Taylor said there had been "unbelievable damage’’ to the city.

‘‘It’s a real disaster scene where I’m standing at the moment in Russell St, Toowoomba. There’s furniture and furnishings and it’s just blown shops away.

‘‘We have a railway line about 60 or 70 metres suspended in mid air and two cars that are virtually unrecognisable that have floated and smashed into the rail.’’

The flood will move through the valley this morning and will head further east into the Brisbane River and into Ipswich and Brisbane within 36 hours.

The Bureau of Meteorology modelling on how that will affect Brisbane was due to be completed before sunrise.

The flood peaks are dropping as quickly as they came, but they're leaving a trail of destruction.

House swept away

At least one house was swept away and another was shifted on its foundations at Murphys Creek in the valley.

Queensland Fire and Rescue Service commissioner Lee Johnson urged motorists to take care when confronted with flooded roads.

“It only takes 15 centimetres of fast flowing water to sweep a person off their feet and into a flooded waterway. It only takes 60 centimetres of floodwater to push a four-wheel-drive," he said.

“People underestimate the danger of these waters and tragically eleven lives have been lost since November 2010 as a result.

“Every swift water rescue performed by fire personnel puts not only the victim's life but the lives of emergency services personnel who are forced to enter treacherous waterways at risk.”

Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman yesterday warned the city to prepare for widespread flooding, but added the difference between the current situation and 1974 was the presence of the Wivenhoe Dam.

"Wivenhoe Dam is protecting Brisbane right now and in the coming days from a flood right up there with 1974," Mr Newman said.

He said that in the 1974 flood water was flowing past the Brisbane River's main measuring point at the rate of 9500 cubic metres a second.

Water was flowing into some of the catchments yesterday at the rate of 9000 cu m/sec.

Premier Anna Bligh said the dam, built after floodwaters devastated thousands of Brisbane and Ipswich homes, was seeing "massive inflows" to rival the 1974 disaster.

"We are seeing one million megalitres or two Sydney harbours flow into the Wivenhoe catchment every day," she said.

"Without a doubt, the Wivenhoe Dam has already saved Brisbane from a catastrophic flood in the next 48 hours, but we have to keep releasing water from it so it can keep doing the job it's doing.

Tony we have seen it on our news programmes. It was horrendous. I am so sorry for the people of Queensland. My thoughts are with them all and especially those who have lost their lives and their families.

I saw it on the news tonight as well Tony.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Families who have lost loved ones and to those homes have been distroyed.

Teresa

It's incredible Tony - it's like watching a disaster movie. Poor Toowoomba - they've been virtually wiped out. Latest news - at least 8 dead including children and 72 missing from surrounding areas:-(

S x

Hi.

A terrible disaster for our Queensland neighbours and the families and small businesses who have lost all. My youngest daughter has just returned home to Victoria. She was holidaying with a girlfriend in the small town of Laidley, not to far from Toowoomba and told me many roads have been cut off on there way to Brisbane airport.

Many of us that live in the southern states also holiday up north in Queensland for the festive season, and the state relies so much on its tourism dollar during this time.

A total disaster financially, for many of the popular tourism towns as well.

They will recover, but the clean up will cost into the Billions.

A sad beginning to the new year.

Tony - my daughter, OH and family are holidaying in Port Macquarie visiting friends. They are watching the weather very closely and are prepared to leave should things get worse in those areas.

S x

Hello Tony...not spoken to you in ages, so sorry its now because of such a sad situation.
Positive thoughts that the storms stops/calms down soon and no one else dies.

Take care
jude

Glad my daughter is home safe and sound.

OH and myself were starting to worry about her safety, and we were watching the news every day and night, knowing that the flooding was moving south.

Toowoomba is an area of 116.5 square kilometres (45.0 sq mi)...so it gives you an idea of the ammount of flooding just in this one township alone.


Current News is telling us the area flooded is larger than the state of Texas ( USA )
Queensland is a large state,( Tropical ) and are used to Cyclone weather this time of the year, but i dont think even they were prepared for the size of this disaster.

Thoughts for them all, but i feel there will be more deaths to come yet,sadly

Glad your daughter is safe, but sorry to hear about the unfolding disaster. We are following the sad events from here in the UK.

We were in Brisbane a couple of years ago.

Hi Helen.

News is telling us that about 30 suburbs around Brisbane are on flood alert, and may be affected soon.

Suemaid.
Thoughts for your family in Port MacQuarie mate.
Hope all will be safe.

While over in the West of the Country 8 fires are raging out of control, and hundreds of homes in their paths.
One state is under flooding control damage, and another state under fire control damage.

A weird but beautiful Country we live in, but mother nature hits it with a vengence sometimes.

A terrible situation and on such a vast scale.
News reports here try to give some idea of the disaster area by linking the size to whole European countries.
Our thoughts are with you all, hoping the waters recede soon and no more lives are lost.

Gwyn

Can anyone living in Brisbane please tell me if Rochedale is effected by the floods,as I've friends living there,and not heard from them.
Thanks
Mau

CURRENT UPDATE: Floodwaters are moving into West End in the heart of Brisbane, with people being urged to move to higher ground.

Police have urged all residents who live or are currently near the Brisbane River at West End to move to safer areas.

"The Brisbane River has risen and we are starting to see the water enter streets in the low lying areas of West End,’’ police said.

There have also been reports of businesses being evacuated in Fortitude Valley.

Two riverside restaurants in Brisbane’s CBD are evacuating and stripping their businesses in preparation for inundation.

Staff at Jellyfish restaurant and Boardwalk Bar and Bistro were pulling furniture and electrical appliances out of their restaurants on Eagle Street Pier this morning as they watched the river level rise.

Eight thousand Brisbane properties could be at risk of flooding tomorrow, while 400 streets may also be affected in some way, according to Brisbane City Council forecasts issued yesterday.

The Brisbane River has already started to rise further this morning, with police issuing advice for all people who are currently near the river at West End to move to higher ground.

''The Brisbane River has risen and we are starting to see the water enter streets in the low lying areas of West End,'' a police statement said.

''There is no further information at this stage but we would like to remind residents of the dangers of flood waters. Flood levels can rise and fall quickly, please do not enter any flooded areas.''

Meanwhile, a severe weather warning has been issued for much of southeast Queensland, including Brisbane and the southeast coast, Darling Downs and the Granite Belt southeast of Dalby to Goondiwindi.

The Bureau of Meteorology is warning of heavy rainfall causing localised flash flooding and worsening the existing river flood situation.

The council identified 455 properties that would experience some flooding tomorrow, at least 221 of which were homes and businesses.

These high-risk properties include residential and business properties in Albion, Auchenflower, Brisbane City, Bowen Hills, Bulimba, Fortitude Valley, Graceville, Hemmant, Indooroopilly, Kangaroo Point, Lytton, Milton, New Farm, Newstead, Norman Park, Oxley, Pinkenba, Rocklea, Sherwood, Tennyson, Wacol, Windsor and Yeronga.

A spokeswoman said the council's modelling had also identified an additional 7731 properties that may possibly see some flooding either on the land or outside the property, depending on the severity of flooding.

Cr Newman said there was no need for people to panic, but urged them to check council flood maps to assess their risk.

Mau.
Rochedale is further down South/East from Brisbane CBD and i dont think this area is affected yet...by the main floods.




A Map of affected suburbs around Brisbane at the moment. ( updated every hour )

http://www.abc.net.au/news/infographics/qld-floods/brisbane.htm

Tony, so glad your daughter is safe at home but sorry that so many are suffering and there have been many a sad loss of life.

It seems every New Year brings a tragedy with it, linked to the weather. I hope the water goes down soon and people can start sorting out their lives but nothing will be the same for most of them with special things ruined and businesses gone, more importantly those who have lost loved ones will never get over it.

My thoughts are with everyone affected and may those lost, rest in peace.

Lizx

Hi Tony


Thanks for this


I followed your link to the Brisbane affected suburbs .... we have friends who live in Moggill, which is one of the affected areas.


We will be worrying about them tonight, and hoping that the fact that they live in an old Queensland house on stilts will be an advantage!



sylvia

Latest update: 5:pm East Coast.

Thousands of Brisbane homes to be flooded

Ms Bligh said authorities were considering declaring a mega-disaster zone over a "significant region" of Queensland, a move that would be unprecedented in the state's history

Forecasts show about 6500 properties will be flooded in Brisbane, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman says.

He says the next few days will see a large-scale disaster unfolding across the city, ahead of an expected peak in the Brisbane River on Thursday.

Mr Newman said the 6500 homes and businesses expected to experience direct, "significant" flooding would affect 14,900 people.

He said a further 16,500 properties would be partially affected by flooding.

"So the situation is very serious," he told reporters on Tuesday.

People flee as Brisbane road closures grow


Brisbane roads are becoming choked as people leave work to secure their homes from floodwaters which are closing a growing number of roads.

Riverside suburbs are worst affected, including Milton, where Douglas Street, Camford Street, Eagle Terrace and Huxham Terrace were inundated.

Milton Road was not inundated at 1pm (AEST) on Tuesday but traffic is congested, police said.

At Fairfield, cars were beginning to float down Ashby Street and at Jindalee the DFO factory outlets were evacuated, causing major traffic delays around the Sinnamon Road on-ramp to the Centenary Motorway.

Trains cut off

Rising floodwaters have cut train services north and west of Brisbane.

Southeast Queensland's public transport operator Translink has closed the Ipswich to Rosewood train services and there are no trains north of Burpengary to Caboolture and as far north as Gympie.

"There are no trains beyond Ipswich and no trains between Burpengary and Gympie," a Translink spokesman told AAP.

"Strong currents in the Brisbane river has also caused the cancellation of all river cats and ferries."

He said buses in Caboolture and the Redcliffe area have been cancelled and a limited number of bus services in Ipswich but most bus services in Brisbane are still running.

"There are a lot of disruptions and there will be lengthy delays in bus and train services," he said.

Residents urged flee early

Other major flooded roads included Sandgate Road near Pedder Street at Albion, in the city's north, Queenswharf Road at North Quay in the CBD and Gympie Road at Lawnton, north of the city.

Police were urging people to give themselves plenty of time to get home from work safely.

A full list of flooded roads was available on the Queensland Police Facebook page: www.facebook.com/queenslandpolice.

It's feared Brisbane could be about to experience its worst flood since the catastrophic 1974 event, when at least 6700 homes were partially or totally flooded in the Brisbane metropolitan area.

The Wivenhoe dam was subsequently built to the protect the city.

Ipswich residents evacuated

Some residents at Ipswich were also evacuating areas close to the rising Bremer River on Tuesday.

"I'm told by the experts we are likely to see levels similar to the dreadful 1974 floods," Mayor Paul Pisasale said.

The floods of '74 flooded 1800 homes and businesses in Ipswich, and 41 homes were washed away.

On Tuesday, the Wivenhoe Dam was at 173 per cent capacity. It can take up to 200 per cent. Somerset dam, which feeds into Wivenhoe, was at 160 per cent, the SEQ Water Grid said.

It said controlled releases from Wivenhoe would need to be increased further on Tuesday.

"These releases are being made in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and local councils and aim to limit downstream impacts where possible," it said.

"Note, these large releases are necessary for the safe management of the dam."

It said water levels in Somerset were expected to continue to rise on Tuesday and areas around Kilcoy were likely to be impacted by the rising dam levels.

Residents in the upper Somerset townships of Kilcoy, Jimna and Linville are being urged to conserve water due to the impacts of local flooding on water infrastructure.

Water infrastructure damaged

Water Grid spokesperson Dan Spiller said vital water infrastructure in those areas had been damaged by flood waters, cutting off the raw water supply.

"We have a limited supply in local reservoirs that is expected to last one to three days.

However, we will ensure that critical supplies are maintained. In the meantime, we are asking people to conserve water while we repair equipment and organise alternative supplies," he said.

In Jimna and Linville, rising waters have impacted infrastructure that supports the region's supply.

Approximately 1,000 residents on town water across these three areas were affected, it said. "We are asking people to restrict non-essential water use ...," Mr Spiller said.

Car parks in Brisbane's CBD have opened their boom gates, telling people to get their cars out. Sky News reports public transport in the CBD will be suspended within the hour.

CityCat and CityFerry services on the Brisbane River have already stopped

I have just received an email and photograph sent by my son who lives in the centre of Brisbane, he just said 'I am okay Mom', the photograph taken from his balcony shows the water flowing past the flats where he lives...more than ironic though because the house he owns in the UK became a victim to the recent adverse weather conditions with burst pipes which flooded the whole interior....nature having a ball it appears....my prayers go out to all living and involved in the disaster areas

Joyce P

First few photos are of the town of Laidley, where youngest daughter was last week on holidays.

Glad she is home back in Victoria now....... thank heavens.


Pics from the courier mail.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/gallery-e6frer9f-1225985231174?page=1

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/gallery-e6frer9f-1225983022068?page=1

Glad your daughter is safe Tony.

Thanks for information about Rochedale not being affected,as we are worrying about friends,

Mau x

Tony I don't think I've spoken to you before but,
just want to say how sorry I am to hear of this
disaster and my prayers and thoughts are with
all concerned. Good to hear that your daughter
is safe and well.

Emmax