‘Dodged a bullet’: Townsville return home as flood threat eases
Townsville residents have been cautiously told they can begin returning to their homes as the city appeared to “dodge a bullet” with easing rainfall.
The North Queensland city’s swollen Ross River failed to reach the major flood level and peaked at 1.66 metres before it began subsiding to moderate.
People living in the “black zone” suburbs, which had been evacuated, were told on Tuesday they could go back to their properties.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said Townsville had avoided the dire scenario that was feared.
“There is no doubt that the city has dodged a bullet,” Crisafulli said.
“If you reflect that nearly six years ago to the day, people were picking up the pieces, and to think that in many cases, has been spared, is certainly a relief.”
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However, returning residents were told to remain vigilant as the flood emergency could turn again if the rain resumed.
Rivers were still rising in some other catchments even as the rainfall petered out.
“Some catchments are holding steady or even starting to fall, but others are still continuing to rise in response to past rainfall,” meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said.
It’s feared Ingham’s swollen Herbert River would reach beyond the record level of the 1967 mark at 15.2 metres.
The Herbert River at Abergowrie Bridge is at 13.35 metres and rising while at the Ingham Substation – where the 1967 record was held – it has begun falling to 14.34 metres.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned that Tuesday could bring local heavy rainfall between Cairns and Townsville with a severe weather warning in place between Cardwell and Yabulu.
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“Rainfall totals are expected to be lower than they were during the past weekend, but the rain is likely to be enough to prolong the existing flooding and potentially cause new areas of flooding,” Bradbury said.
She said totals could be anywhere from 10 to 100 millimetres.
The bureau is forecasting the rain to become patchier on Tuesday afternoon with thunderstorms and showers lingering for the rest of the week.
“Any further rain will continue to feed into the already swollen rivers, prolonging flood impacts,” Bradbury said
“A more significant clearance in the wet weather is not forecast to arrive until late in the week, or even early next week.”
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli meets with SES personnel. Photo: AAP
Thousands of people were evacuated and many were rescued across the region, with more than one metre of rain recorded near Townsville.
Queensland Police said there are nearly 300 people in evacuation centres across Townsville and Ingham.
The State Emergency Service responded to 46 calls since 3pm on Monday, with the majority for the agency to tarp leaking ceilings.
Other calls were for sandbagging to prevent floodwaters and supplying food or medication.
Ergon Energy restored power to Palm Island, Balgal Beach, Bluewater, Magnetic Island, and Giru on Monday afternoon
It has restored power to half of Cardwell and will continue repairs on Tuesday. It is unclear when Ingham will be reconnected given the significant flood damage.
– with AAP
