Thousands stuck as provisions dwindle
THREE thousand people were last night stranded in the Whitsunday Islands with limited food and water in the wake of Cyclone Debbie.
A mass evacuation of Hamilton and Daydream islands was yesterday called off due to bad weather and damaged infrastructure.
Qantas and Jetstar are hoping to fly into Hamilton Island this morning to evacuate residents and guests, while Virgin Australia says it will decide at 8am.
On Daydream Island water was rationed to one bottle per person for 275 guests and 142 staff, as supplies ran low.
As the clean- up continued, residents in the Mackay region were last night told there was 24 hours of drinkable water left as flood waters began to rise.
Residents living downstream from the Kinchant Dam, west of Mackay, were being warned to leave their homes and move to higher ground.
SunWater said the dam was at 119 per cent capacity – at 3.15pm – and rising.
People living downstream of Middle Creek Dam near Sarina have also been told to leave.
A spokesman for Daydream Island said it would either ferry guests to the mainland or to Hamilton Island if the airport opened.
“Daydream is confident it can get guests off the island ( today),” he said.
“There are over 3000 people in the Whitsunday region requiring a departure from the Hamilton Island airport and the airlines will continue services on Friday and Saturday until all guests are returned home safely,” a spokeswoman said last night.
Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said no evacuations from the Whitsundays islands had taken place after ongoing bad weather compromised plans.
Mr Gollschewski said people on Hayman Island were happy to wait for boats to ferry them one once the weather allowed for it.
However he said there were low supplies of water on Daydream Island. BATTERED: A yacht which was blown onto land by Cyclone Debbie at Shute Harbour. LEFT: The Shute Harbour passenger terminal was left badly damaged. MIDDLE: A yacht and the pontoon being converted into a luxurious ablutions block which were driven aground. BOTTOM: A sunken yacht at Shute Harbour.