Army rescues hundreds in Townsville as floodwaters continue to isolate residents

Soldiers are using every boat they can get their hands on to evacuate Townsville residents amid fears up to 2000 properties may have been inundated by floodwater.

The army, police and emergency crews helped more than 1100 people evacuate their homes on Sunday night, including 18 swiftwater rescues. Dozens of army tanks and trucks supported helicopters as more residents were ferried to safety on Monday.

Dangerous and unpredictable conditions with the potential for more flash flooding are expected to continue for at least the next 24 hours.

Queensland Fire & Emergency Services described the scenes in the flood-ravaged town of Idalia as like “Armageddon”, while authorities are now dealing with a fresh wave of calls from residents asking for help to leave their homes after initially choosing to stay.

The army has sourced every boat it can to get people out of the hard-hit suburb of Idalia , which had water at waist height overnight, while council trucks have also been brought in to help move people out of flood zones.

“Anyone who is not on a second story has water moving through their house,” Major Beau Hodge has told reporters.

Major Hodge said his own home was “gone” and he had to evacuate his own family from Idalia on Sunday night. He couldn’t say how many people are still stuck there.

“I’m lucky my family are safe and well. We’ll be all right.”

A sixth evacuation centre has opened, after one of the existing sites said it was full and couldn’t take any more people. About 1000 people have taken refuge in those centres.

Authorities put 21 suburbs on alert for dangerous flash flooding on Sunday night as the flood gates on the city’s swollen Ross River Dam were opened to their maximum level.

That sent almost 2000 cubic metres of water per second over the dam’s spillway and down the Ross River which snakes through Townsville.

Crocodiles have been spotted near suburban homes and flood waters are teeming with snakes, creating a dangerous situation for rescuers.

More than 1,000 calls for help were logged by the State Emergency Service and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services in the past 24 hours, most of them in Townsville.

The Townsville City Council estimates up to 2000 properties may have been affected by floodwaters, but there’s no way to be sure just yet.

Locals recall chaos and survival on social media

Townsville is braced for more rain on Monday with six-hourly falls of 150mm-200mm likely, and isolated falls of up to 300mm possible.

Those in the worst hit areas continue to give a first-hand insight as to exactly what a once-in-a-century type flood is like to experience.

Water levels in the Ross River Dam are expected to peak at 11am on Monday and remain at that level until at least midnight.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is convening a disaster management meeting in Townsville, and says emergency services faced gale force winds and torrential rain overnight.

“Townsville has never seen the likes of this,” she said.

Woman’s harrowing fears for sister

A local resident is desperately trying to find her sister after her street was immersed by floodwaters in Townsville.

Milly Roberts has been trying to get to her sibling’s flooded home after her power was cut off yesterday. Her sister also has two children and she is worried as water is flowing quickly down the street.

“We just don’t know what her situation is,” Ms Roberts told 7News as she choked back tears.

“Our main concern is the children.”

Supermarket shelves stripped bare

Aisles of empty shelves now occupy supermarkets after the rising floodwaters saw food supply trucks denied access.

There are growing fears that some residents have been stockpiling food, leaving others with little to choose from.

With power cut to thousands of homes, perishable food items have also started to sour.

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