QLD FLOOD EMERGENCY: Thousands without power as heavy rain batters SEQ
Six people have now died as a flood emergency grips south-east Queensland.
A 34-year-old man has died when he got stuck in floodwaters in the early hours of this morning in Indooroopilly.
He was able to get out of his car, but failed to surface from the water.
Latest updates:
- Several flights into Brisbane were delayed or cancelled
- Hundreds of people have spent the night in evacuation centres in Gympie as the Mary River continues to rise
- The West End was impacted by heavy rain and flooding
- There are more than 750 roads closed across the state
- SEQ Water released water from the Wivenhoe Dam in the early hours of this morning.
Energex’s Danny Donald says there are around 30,000 people without power.
He gave an update to Neil Breen this afternoon, press PLAY below to hear more
An evacuation centre will open on Brisbane’s northside.
Kedron-Wavell Services Club at Chermside is open for anyone needing to seek shelter from 2pm.
That’s in addition to the evacuation centre at the Chandler Sleeman Sports Complex.
Thousands of homes have been flooded in Brisbane and more than 26,000 properties are without power.
More than 10,000 of those are in the Brisbane area.
Energex has warned some people could find themselves without electricity for several days.
EARLIER
An emergency warning was issued in Ipswich.
Councillor Paul Tully from Ipswich Council from Goodna, where the water is rising.
“The SES are now right at the moment going door to door in Mill Street and Enid Street for people who decided to stay in their homes overnight thinking it wouldn’t get as bad,” he told Bill McDonald.
He described it as a devastating scene in Goodna this morning.
His message to people was to “be prepared – be prepared to leave” if water levels are rising near homes.
There is an evacuation centre at the showgrounds.
Press PLAY to hear the latest from Ipswich
Ferocious Brisbane river, charged by incessant rain, ripping pontoons with boats from moorings. These photos from under Eleanor Schonell Bridge at UQ – river at 4.8m, still well below 2011 & 1974 levels. Keep listening to @NewsTalk4BC for all the latest news. pic.twitter.com/we8yBouUi0
— Scott Emerson (@scottemerson) February 26, 2022
Brisbane saw 200mm of rain this 9am yesterday.
Nine News weatherman Luke Bradnam on the Gold Coast said the Wivenhoe Dam was at 56 per cent on Sunday last week, today it’s at 148 per cent.
“It is incredible the rise we have had in Wivenhoe Dam in the past 36 hours.
“On Friday it was at 68 per cent. Quite staggering.”
Lead meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, Luke Bass, said there was quite intense rainfall in Gympie overnight.
Gympie itself copped 120mm in two hours.
Press PLAY below to hear his wrap-up of what’s expected today
Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig says the situation is hard to describe.
“I’ve had the chance to drive a little bit around the region over the last weekend, and the amount of water and the volume and the speed at which it’s been travelling it just leaves you speechless.
“Hopefully this is a once in a lifetime event for myself and a lot of other residents in the region because we don’t need to see this again.”
He said the damage to road infrastructure would be significant.
“There’s years of work out in front of our staff to get this back on track.”
Press PLAY below to hear the latest from Gympie
The CityCat terminal at UQ – the river has broken its banks at the campus and the flood-proof terminal – built after the 2011 floods to allow its ramp to swing away – appears to have failed. Keep listening to @NewsTalk4BC rolling coverage of the flood emergency. pic.twitter.com/euU7TbZZPV
— Scott Emerson (@scottemerson) February 26, 2022
4BC Drive Scott Emerson crossed to Rob McKnight from the Eleanor Schonell Bridge.
“The water has broken the banks here at the University of Queensland … clearly the water is over the stairs, it looks like may have even broken off now from the stairs.”
He said the ramp was submerged.
Brisbane River risen 25cms in two hours at UQ St Lucia campus under Elenor Schonell Bridge – first photo at 6:30am, second at 8:30am. But still well below 7.4m peak in 2011 & just under 9m in 1974. Rolling coverage of flood emergency on @NewsTalk4BC pic.twitter.com/3eP6RBxqxf
— Scott Emerson (@scottemerson) February 26, 2022
Image: Nine News