WILD WEATHER SES has an eye on rain radars
DISASTER groups were standing at the ready in the Port Douglas and Mossman areas last night with more heavy rain expected to drench the area.
Officials praised Far North residents for their efforts to prepare for record unseasonable downpours across the region, with only a handful of incidents reported throughout the weather event.
State Emergency Service Cairns area director Peter Rinaudo said the SES had just 11 calls for assistance yesterday, scattered between the Cassowary Coast and Mossman, despite falls of well over 200mm in some areas.
He said while no weather warnings had been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology late yesterday, the SES had been in contact with group leaders in the Port Douglas and Mossman areas where further falls were most likely.
“We spoke to (them) just to make sure all their equipment was ready to go,” he said.
“All groups are on standby to make sure they’re prepared.”
He said the unusual October falls had not caught them unaware, with preparations beginning in September for the entire wet season.
But, as a Cairns local, Mr Rinaudo said the storm activity, which extended throughout Wednesday night into yesterday morning, was something he had never seen before in Cairns.
No major traffic incidents were reported yesterday, with just a minor crash on the Kuranda range between a truck and car just before midday, which closed the road briefly.
Several roads around the region were closed due to flooding, including the Gillies Range, which was shut at Little Mulgrave yesterday morning.
Far North police Chief Supt Brett Schafferius reissued a warning to motorists not to drive through floodwaters if the heavy rain in the region persisted.
“Our ultimate hope is to have no loss of life through people driving through flooded roadways,” he said.
“These type of weather events happen for us every year in the Far North.” LAKE Tinaroo’s water level was slowly rising yesterday afternoon as rain flowed in from Barron River catchment. The dam peaked at 41.17 per cent after 1097 megalitres poured in from Wednesday midnight. “The falls did not get onto the Tablelands in the same amount,” said Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Harry Clark. “In general it was quite coastal and there was not huge amounts happening out there.” The dam’s rain gauge received 38mm. Other falls included Mareeba 16mm, Flaggy Creek, 114mm and Kamerunga 153mm.