North Queensland flash flooding traps people, inundates homes

Multiple swift water rescues are underway to reach people trapped as homes are inundated by floodwater at Bluewater in Townsville’s north.

Twenty Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) Swiftwater and SES flood boats are going door-to-door along Forestry Road.”We’re 3.5 to 4 kilometres up Forestry Road and I would suggest nearly every property on Bluewater Estate has persons who need to be accounted for,” QFES Assistance Commissioner for North Queensland David Hermann said.

“That’s 50 to 60 plus properties.”

In the past four hours Bluewater has recorded 187 millimetres, causing flash flooding.Upper Black River to the west of Townsville has had more than 200 millimetres of rain since 9:00am.

The Bureau of Meteorology said significant flash flooding was occurring after intense thunderstorms around Toolakea, Bluewater and Upper Black River.

Hervey Range resident Sue Atkins has lived on the bank of the Black River for 14 years and said she’s never seen so much rain.

“We’ve never seen anything like it. It’s broken its banks on the other side to us,” she said.

“It’s just covered in water. We’ve seen cattle tyring to swim up it and go back again.”

Ms Atkins has had 230mm of rain since 9am and more than 600mm in the last two days.

“It’s more than they had in the Daintree. We’ve just never seen anything like it.

“We’re just watching all the trees and things running down the river here.”

Cath McLellan, whose property overlooks Bluewater Creek, said the rainfall was “crazy”.

PHOTO: Power transformers surrounded by floodwater on Bluewater Drive at Bluewater Park. (Facebook: Lhey Ireland)

“From 6:30 this morning we had 300mm in six hours. Huge rain,” Ms McLellan said.

That rainfall was on top of 439mm recorded since Saturday.

“We are lucky as we are on high ground,” she said.

“Some people closer to the highway have been less fortunate with houses underwater apparently.”

PHOTO: The downpour caused Leichhardt Creek to burst its banks at Bluewater. (Facebook: Charlotte Catmull)

Ms McLellan said her house had lost power, but the rain was easing and the water was starting to recede.

Inspector Damien Crosby said there has been significant rain.

“We are now starting to see water inundation on our roads and we are responding to a developing incident in Northern Beaches and Bluewater, where we have had reports of some houses being inundated with surface water,” he said.

“It’s quite fluid, we’re receiving numerous calls for service, initially we received reports of houses in Forestry Road which had water inundation into the house so we’re responding with our colleagues from Queensland Fire and Emergency Service to see what level of assistance is required.

“We’re also monitoring the situation at the Bluewater Primary School which is quite close to a river there which we’re concerned there may be an impact on the school if that river inundates its banks.”

The Education Department said the downpour had prompted the emergency closures of four schools— Giru State School, North Eton State School, Rollingstone State School and Woodstock State School.

Three early childhood and day care centres have also been closed — Giru Day Care Centre, My Little Feet Childcare Pimlico and Proserpine Public Kindergarten.

Inspector Crosby said a rock-wall landslide had cut Hervey Range Road.

“We don’t believe there’s any injuries or entrapments associated with that event but we are responding accordingly.”

Ergon Energy has cut power to more than 400 properties in Bluewater to help swift water crews.

PHOTO: Townsville police inspect the rising water level at Ross Dam. (ABC News: Tom Edwards)

“To keep them safe as fast-rising waters reduce the clearance to powerlines, and because of reports of multiple properties being swamped, we’ve de-energised the local network,” the company advised.

Campers rescued

Earlier today four trapped campers had to be rescued by a helicopter from an area known as Tabletop Mountain on Hervey Range Road.

“No injuries were sustained, however that particular location when it is cut off by floodwaters can be cut off for a considerable amount of time,” Inspector Crosby said.

An initial attempt to rescue them yesterday was unsuccessful due to low cloud.

“A secondary attempt was made using a smaller aircraft from Charters Towers and thankfully that aircraft was able to extract the four people.”ABC.NEWS