Flood death fears in NSW town
AUSTRALIA: Several floodaffected northern New South Wales towns have been declared natural disaster zones after hundreds of residents fled inundated homes and nearby rivers peaked.
Several towns have been affected by the deluge caused by the remnants of ex-tropical Cyclone Debbie - including Murwillumbah, Chinderah and Kyogle - with the Wilsons, Richmond and Tweed rivers peaking.
The federal and state governments yesterday announced that natural disaster assistance would be available for those in the Ballina, Byron, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed regions.
Water overflowed the town of Lismore’s levee bank yesterday for the first time, peaking at 11.55 metres, with the deluge continuing to hit the CBD until late afternoon.
Up to 20,000 people have been ordered to evacuate but many have remained in their homes. About 220 spent the night sleeping at an evacuation centre at the local Southern Cross University campus. The State Emergency Service fears some people may have perished in the floods.
NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Mark Morrow said there were 150 flood rescues in the area, but the weather prevented the rescue helicopter being able to get to all locations.
‘‘We might get a worst-case scenario there, and find people have deceased overnight as a result of being caught in floodwater,’’ he said.
Morrow said flood levels in Lismore could go beyond what the town, with a population of 25,000, saw in 2001 and 2005.
About 10,000 homes and business were without power in northern NSW, Essential Energy said.
Meanwhile, in southern Queensland, residents of low-lying parts of Logan and the Gold Coast have been told to move to higher ground as a ‘‘wall of water’’ heads towards the region.
The Gold Coast council has told residents near the northern suburbs of Stapylton and Jacobs Well to evacuate, and warned those who remain behind that they risk being trapped by floodwaters for several days. Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said people in the area should get out.
Residents in low-lying areas around Beenleigh have also been told to get out as the Albert River continues to rise towards a possible 130-year record level.
There are also concerns about possible flooding in Rockhampton next week as water makes its way down from rivers upstream.
State Disaster Coordinator Stephan Gollschewski said the focus in north Queensland had switched to restoring essential services such as communication and power.
State Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said 270 properties in north Queensland had been declared unliveable.
There were also concerns about water supplies in the north, she said. ‘‘The army is doing everything it can to get water into those parts of North Queensland.’’
- AAP