- Key Bruce Highway bridge collapses from floodwaters
- Significant rainfall expected until at least Wednesday
- Bob Katter has urged PM to send in the army
A bridge connecting a major highway has collapsed cutting off a key evacuation route, as floodwaters rise in North Queensland sparking widespread blackouts.
Flooding has cut power and damaged roads throughout the north, with a key Bruce Highway link – the Ollera Creek Bridge near Townsville – collapsing into the water on Sunday afternoon.
Residents between Cairns and Mackay have been warned to stay on alert for rising water levels with significant rainfall expected to pound the state until at least Wednesday.
‘We’re seeing record breaking rainfall in many locations,’ Bureau of Meteorology’s Matt Collopy told reporters.
‘There is more significant rain to come … so it will take days for that water to come out of those systems.’
Nearly one metre of rain was recorded at Paluma Dam, Townsville in the last 48 hours while Ingham has copped more than 400mm in the last day.
Floodwaters are expected to continue rising in Ingham where the river is centimetres shy of reaching the 1967 record of 15.2m which devastated the area.
Townsville’s Ross River is also set to rise beyond the major flood level on Monday afternoon.
Part of the Bruce Highway – the Ollera Creek Bridge about halfway between Townsville and Ingham – has collapsed into raging floodwaters
Floodwaters are set to keep rising with significant rainfall expected until at least Wednesday
Local mayor Ramon Jayo described the collapse of the Ollera Creek bridge as ‘another disaster’ for Ingham which is without power after its substation was flooded – and independent MP Bob Katter has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to send in the army.
The town only has five days of fresh water left and must rely on supply drops via helicopter.
Multiple evacuation warnings are in place for regions across the far north with residents in Cardwell, Ingham and Townsville’s ‘black zone’ spanning Cluden, Hermit Park, Idalia, Oonoonba, Railway Estate and Rosslea unable to return home.
There were 11 swift water rescues and nearly 400 calls for help for leaking ceilings, roof damage, flooding, evacuations and felled trees on Sunday night.
Townsville Councillor Andrew Robinson said floodwaters in the black zone were expected to peak on Tuesday morning while more areas could be impacted in coming days.
‘Mother Nature, she can be pretty fickle, and it can change on a dime,’ he said.
There are more than 400 people currently in evacuation centres across Townsville, Ingham and Cardwell.
Nearly 70 state schools are closed across the north as well as 16 independent and 24 Catholic schools.
North Queensland residents between Cairns and Mackay have been warned to stay on alert for rising water levels
More than 11,000 northern Queenslanders remain without power after the Ingham and Cardwell substations were switched off due to floodwaters.
Meanwhile, social media photos have shown empty shelves in supermarkets across the north as it battles the weather emergency.
But Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has promised there is six weeks of food supply in the north and stores will be restocked.
The state government even had the managers of Coles in Ingham picked up by an SES boat over the weekend to open the stores and donate all the food to evacuation centres.
‘To see the images coming out of the shopping trolleys full, but half underwater going to the evacuation centre is what the community spirit is all about,’ he said on Monday.
Delivery options are available for people who are isolated in their homes, Mr Bleijie said.
More than 11,000 northern Queenslanders remain without power after the Ingham (pictured) and Cardwell substations were switched off due to floodwaters
The Australian Defence Force is also on the ground helping with evacuations with multiple additional aircraft including Chinooks to be deployed on Monday to help resupply food into communities and carry out emergency rescue work.
High clearance defence vehicles are also on standby.
The federal government is considering an application to expand hardship payments to the Cassowary and Burdekin with it already available in Hinchinbrook, Palm Island, Townsville and Gordonvale.
