Inland Queensland bracing for deluge

Outback Queensland is bracing for a big wet, with 1000m of rain expected to deluge the vast region as former tropical cyclone Kirrily continues to have an impact.

The Bureau of Meteorology is warning of life-threatening flash flooding which is predicted to strike from as far north as Burketown to Birdsville in the state’s far southwest in coming days.

Severe thunderstorm with heavy rainfall and damaging winds have been forecast with residents in Gulf Country and the north west at risk.

The extreme weather has come as a result of ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily, that crossed the coast near Townsville a week ago.

Bureau of Meteorology Senior Meteorologist Patch Clapp said the storm is forecast to start moving south from Friday and some catchments in the west had capacity for further rain – but some areas would experience 300mm of rain in 24 hours.

“300mm is certainly a lot of rainfall and potential dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding is coming from that,” he told the Courier Mail.

“There’s still a little bit of capacity in the northeast most rivers.

“Flinders River downstream from Richmond is experiencing major flooding, Georgina River and Ayr Creek are on flood watch with both just under the flood watch level.

“Minor flooding is occurring in the Cloncurry.

“There’s also a flood warning out for the Diamantina River as well, with major flooding occurring in Diamantina Lakes, similar to the 1999 flood level.”

It comes as footage emerged of two people in a tinnie being swept away in the Cloncurry River. In a separate incident, two people were rushed to hospital on Wednesday after their car was washed away in the flood waters.

One person was taken to Cloncurry Hospital with a head injury and the other was taken to Mount Isa Hospital in a serious condition, Queensland Ambulance said.

There have been four major road closures due to the flash flooding, including Flinders Highway between Cloncurry and Julia Creek, the Landsborough Highway between Winton and Cloncurry, Wills Developmental Road from Julia Creek to Burke and Wills Junction and the Burke Developmental Road from Normanton to Karumba.

Queensland Rail Network has also had to close the Mount Isa line because of the flooding.

“Our regional network has experienced heavy rainfall following ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily,” they said in a statement.

“Amid these challenges, we’re proud to be tirelessly working to reconnect communities affected by the flooding.

“Your safety and connectivity remain our top priorities as we navigate through these conditions.”

Locals are also concerned they will be left stranded and have raided the supermarkets in preparation, stocking up on pantry essentials in case food becomes scarce.

Mount Isa resident Dan Ballard said since the freight routes were cut off by floodwaters, he hoped supermarkets would organise supplies to be flown in.

“There’s a strong reaction when there’s rain because we’re so prone to impacts, and we’re isolated,” he said to the Courier Mail.

“I’ve never heard of those (rainfall) figures Western Queensland for a year, (let) alone a month or days.

“It’s impossible to get out of town east through Cloncurry already.

“We’ll start to see supplies flown in hopefully, supermarkets will have to make a decision about that in the next few days.”