SEQ & NE NSW: Rain event & Flood tragedy - Jan 2011

[Blackee]

So major flood level is 8m, and it's currently peaking at around 13m? A five metre high wall of water, am I reading that right?

Lily, initial level was 4m (minor level) and then bang!

[Blackee]

Livestream on facebook commences at 1030 AEDST.
http://www.facebook.com/QueenslandPolic ... 2371818162" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EDIT: It was due @ 1030 AEDST, but obviously a few issues.

[Blackee]

7 people now confirmed deceased.

Source: ABC National Radio

[Blackee]

Latest update

Dalby - 2 evac centres housing over 100 people.
Chinchilla - Peak of 7m expected tomorrow. Evacuations occurring now.
Condamine - 14/15m peak likely later this week

Toowoomba update
River in Gatton has risen 9m
4 deaths confirmed - 2 @ Toowoomba & 2 @ Murphys Creek
30 people in Grantham isolated and not contactable. Very grave fears for those there.
6 people missing in Witchote missing.
Numerous people stranded on rooftops. 43 rooftop rescues so far. Rescues have stopped due to fog and poor weather conditions.

[Blackee]

Interestingly Premier Bligh has described the deluge as something that came "out of nowhere"

Unfortunately for Premier Bligh, the cell was easily detected on radar from early this afternoon. It didn't just spawn the the top of the mountain!

Keep political spin out of what is one of our darkest days.

[stratospear]

The parallels between Qld today and Victoria in Feb 09 are strikingly similar... Some hard questions will need to be asked.

[Lily]

Just watching the Facebook Livestream now. The Grantham situation sounds like it's very dire, they are saying repeatedly they hold "grave fears" and missing persons reports are "minimum, minimum numbers".

ETA: Just summarising the ABC livefeed: 43 rooftop rescues, grave fears are held for people still believed to be on the roofs of their homes, choppers unable to get in due to fog. Grantham has 30 people believed to be completely isolated at the Primary School. EMQ are attempting to get in tonight. Bruce Hwy and Warrego cut leading to supply issues, Police Commissioner described an "inland tsunami", a 9m wall of water when it hit Gatton.

I think we need to brace ourselves for much worse news come morning

[Blackee]

The parallels between Qld today and Victoria in Feb 09 are strikingly similar... Some hard questions will need to be asked.

Was going to mention that mate.
Very eerie feeling indeed.

[Rhino]

Yep tommorow won't be a good day unfortunatly, and children invovled which makes things all that much harder to comprehend.

Rhino.

[Lily]

A guy has just rung into ABC radio to say that his wife and children are at the Primary School in Grantham, he spoke with them about an hour ago and they were fine, bedding down for the night. He's described his wife's version of events, that a neighbour came screaming at her to get out of the house, they had about two minutes to run for higher ground, she looked to the SW (I think?) and saw a "huge wall of water" approaching the town.

[Dc449]

It really does feel similar to the Feb 7th night. Two totally different disasters. One the bushfire and this one for the complete opposite, the flood. Hope it doesnt turn out the same way.

[Lily]

Police have set up a telephone hotline for relatives and friends of people affected by flooding in the Toowoomba, Murphy's Creek, Grantham and Withcott areas. The number is 1300 993 191.

BOM on ABC radio currently, up to 30 Brisbane suburbs are at risk of flooding with levels expected to peak tomorrow in the Brisbane area. Though levels are not expected to be as high as '74, the levels will be well in excess of anything seen in recent years. Rain & thunderstorms continuing throughout today and is expected to ease overnight and into tomorrow morning.

Channel 9 reporter currently being interviewed: Anywhere up to 50 to 70 people reported missing in unconfirmed reports, rescues taking place by whatever means possible including front end loaders and tip trucks, anything to retrieve people from their homes and roof tops. Six still confirmed as deceased including two young children, but reporter is saying there will be "many, many more"

[tizza]

This is just horrific, I've never seen anything like it in my life, they are currently getting absolutely pounded again right now!

[Blackee]

Toowoomba getting smashed with heavy rain again.

[Blackee]

Wivenhoe dam up another 24cm in the last hour, now at 73.5m.
74m is the benchmark and with the relentless line of rain/storms passing thru the valley, it will reach that level in less than 2 hours.

All I can hope is that the dam wall is not under strain, otherwise you can multiply the disaster of yesterday by 1000!

The SEWS signal needs to be activated immediately for all people within 1km of a waterway south of the Wivenhoe Dam.

[wolfcat]

And this morning the death toll is 8.

Expect it to rise today as well.


if you missed this..

Check out River Heights for Lockyer Ck at Gatton

http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDQ65389/IDQ6 ... .plt.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edit:
(Note: Record flood levels of 18.92 metres were recorded at Gatton Monday evening before the station failed.

Next station is: http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDQ65389/IDQ6 ... .plt.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )

[Petethemoskeet]

According to CH7 73 are reported missing.

[Blackee]

Convergence line is streaming in from beyond Fraser Island.
A good 2-3 hours of moderate to heavy rainfall for those stuck under this line.

IDQ20032
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

Transmitters in the areas of the Southeast Coast District and the Darling Downs
and Granite Belt District southeast of Dalby to Goondiwindi are REQUESTED TO USE
THE STANDARD EMERGENCY WARNING SIGNAL BEFORE BROADCASTING.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
for heavy rainfall leading to localised flash flooding and worsening the
existing river flood situation
For people in the Southeast Coast District and the Darling Downs and Granite
Belt District southeast of Dalby to Goondiwindi.
Issued at 8:00 am on Tuesday 11 January 2011

Synoptic Situation: At 8am AEST, an upper level low was located over the Darling
Downs and Granite Belt district and is forecast to move to the southwest and
slowly weaken.

Heavy rain areas and thunderstorms are expected to continue through the
Southeast Coast and Darling Downs and Granite Belt today. Heavy falls will lead
to localised flash flooding and will worsen existing river flooding.

Currently, an intense slow moving band of rainfall extends from about
Maroochydore to Warwick. Rainfall rates in this band are reaching 80 to 100 mm
per hour.

Flood warnings are current for various rivers and streams in these districts.
Please refer to these products [www.bom.gov.au/qld] for further information.

The Severe Weather Warning for the southern parts of Wide Bay and Burnett and
eastern Maranoa and Warrego and northwestern parts of Darling Downs and Granite
Belt districts has been cancelled. However showers and thunderstorms will
persist through the area and may produce heavy rainfall in these parts.

The State Emergency Service advises that people in the affected area should:
· avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters
· take care on the roads, especially in heavy downpours
· avoid swimming in swollen rivers and creeks

Contact the SES on 132 500 for emergency assistance if required.

The next warning is due to be issued by 11am Tuesday.

[Blackee]

Last 1hr falls in excess of 50mm still occurring with 85mm @ Savages Crossing.

Expect the toll to reach 3 figures guys, perhaps as many as Black Saturday.

[Australis(Shell3155)]

Can you explain the red warning.
Does that mean ring a bell. or Siren.?