Queensland Flooding: Disaster of “Biblical Proportions”
Posted by feww on January 1, 2011
Up to a quarter of a million people have been affected by “the worst floods in Queensland’s history,” 22 cities and towns inundated
Rockhampton, home to 78,000 people, bracing for 9m (30ft) floodwaters
The Fitzroy River is expected to reach at least 9m by Sunday afternoon, flooding about a half of the city of Rockhampton, reports say.
The city is expected to be isolated for about two weeks, as the airport closes to commercial flights.
Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser has warned of dire economic consequences, saying he would postpone his mid-year economic review to factor in the cost of the flood damage, a report said.
”In many ways, it is a disaster of biblical proportions,” he said from flood-hit town of Bundaberg.
Houses and surrounding land in the town of Theodore, about 410kms (255 miles) north west of Brisbane, are partially submerged by flood waters January 1, 2011. Queensland Police Service Handout via Reuters.
Queensland River Conditions
24-hr Rainfall for Queensland
Source BOM. Click here for other images.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
Meanwhile,The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) http://www.bom.gov.au has issued the following Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Flash Flooding
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING for FLASH FLOODING
For people in parts of the
Peninsula,
Gulf Country and
Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders Forecast Districts.
Issued at 8:17 pm Saturday, 1 January 2011.
Warning Area Map. Source: BOM
Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce very heavy rainfall and flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Georgetown, Croydon, Kowanyama and Forsayth.
- Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:
- Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
- Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
- Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
- Beware of fallen trees and powerlines.
- For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.
The next warning is due to be issued by 11:20 pm.
Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts, the Bureau’s website at http://www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 219. The Bureau and Emergency Management Queensland would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.
Warnings current:
- Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Queensland 1,
- Flood Warning – Burdekin River,
- Flood Warning – Fitzroy River,
- Flood Warning – Burnett River,
- Flood Warning – Kolan River,
- Flood Warning – Condamine-Balonne Rivers,
- Flood Warning – Macintyre/Weir,
- Flood Warning – Moonie River,
- Flood Warning – Warrego River,
- Flood Warning – Thomson/Barcoo/Cooper Ck,
- Queensland flood warning summary.
Tropical Cyclone Warnings and Information
Details for: Tropical Low 1
- Forecast Track Map (WA)
- Tropical Cyclone Advice
- Tropical Cyclone Information Bulletin
- Coastal Waters Warning issued by Perth
- High Seas Warning
- Tropical Cyclone Technical Bulletin
Flood Map of Queensland
Queensland Flood Map. Source: BOM, via BBC.
Satellite Images of Flooding in Queensland
Download large image (4 MB, JPEG)
False-color images using a combination of infrared and visible light to enhance the contrast between land and water taken by MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite on December 31, 2010 (top), and December 28, 2009 (bottom). “Vegetation is bright green. Bare ground appears in shades of brick red and pinkish brown.” Source: NASA-EO. Download large image (3 MB, JPEG) Click images to enlarge.
Related Links:
Links to Other Australian Disasters
- The Australian Clean Energy Ruse
- A Living Hell Heated by Australian Coal
- CO2e
- Australian Coal and the Planet
- Australian fires toll may exceed 200
- Australia hit by another man-made disaster
- Australia: World’s Smallest Continental Dust Bowl
- Could Dust Storms Bury Sydney, Australia?
- How Large Is Your Dust Storm?
- And dust to dust …
- Australia: Uranium Dust Threat Real?
- Australia: What can burn, will!
- Image of the Day: Human Excesses
- Australian fires toll may exceed 200
- A Living Hell Heated by Australian Coal
- Torrential Rains Flood Northern Australia
- You want to lose weight without exercise?
- Australian Coal and the Planet
- Vast swarms of locusts sweep across Australia
- Murray-Darling River Communities Are Struggling
- Hell Hath No Fury Like the Australian… Bushfire!
- The day God [sic] washed his hands off St. Andrew’s church
Other Links:
- UAE, Australia, USA and Canada top list of polluters
- Rio Tinto Uranium Mine Leaks Toxins into Kakadu National Park, Australia
- Earth’s water cycle has accelerated: Researcher
- TC Paul – Latest Rainfall Image
- TC ULUI Flood Map of Queensland
- Severe Storm Batters Perth, Australia
- Global Weather Chaos
- ESA Says Australia Dry!
- Oh, Australia!
A Shrinking World
- Future Scenarios
- Nuking Earth for Lifestyle
- World Problems: The Root Cause Matrix
- Giga Trends
- World CO2 Emissions
- Look me straight in the eye & tell me you can’t
- Protect Economy from Climate??!
- Blind scientists examining the economic elephant
- How Much Carbon Dioxide Does Your Money Make?
- Cosmic Scale Evil
- Index of Human Impact on NatureCarbon Footprint of Your Dollar
- The Billionaires’ contribution to CO2 pollution
- Stop Burning Earth
- Energy: 286W
- Failing Ecosystems
- First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
Fire Earth 
KZ said
[Actually, it’s a human-enhanced natural mega disaster, which the blog has been warning about for a few years. Moderator]
Robert Ellison said
Robert Ellison said
[See replies to your previous comments. Moderator]
Robert Ellison said
I will make one more comment – we are not 30ft under water. The flood height relates to the Australian Height Datum – zero is the mean sea level in 1971. Inland towns like Rocky start out as well above the 0m AHD level.
[Understood! However, non-amphibians should avoid any depth of water in their home, farm, or place of work. Moderator]
Robert Ellison said
dave waddington said
is this flooding due to man made interference with new rain making technology from Thailand, as this area in queensland is usually a drought area and now it is out of control ?
feww said
What we’ve been observing in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Europe, the Americas and Australia are the extremes of natural phenomenon, La Niña and El Niño events as well as AO among others, enhanced by anthropogenic climate change.
PETE said
It’s very good information…