In a race against nature’s fury, residents in six suburbs of Townsville are being urged to evacuate due to looming “dangerous and life-threatening flooding” as the Ross River swells ominously. The Townsville Local Disaster Management Group has issued a critical warning for Cluden, Hermit Park, Idalia, Oonoonba, Railway Estate, and Rosslea, urging all to leave by noon on Sunday.
Authorities are bracing for severe impacts, with predictions of homes being fully submerged and flooding potentially reaching second-storey levels. The threat extends to vital infrastructure, with many roads and bridges at risk of closure.
Evacuation centres have been established to provide refuge for those affected. One centre is located at Heatley Secondary College, while another at the Townsville Sports Precinct is specifically accommodating pets.
The region is expected to receive hundreds of millimetres of additional rainfall, exacerbating an already critical situation. Flash flooding warnings are in effect from Cardwell to the Burdekin, heightening fears of a disaster reminiscent of the catastrophic floods of 2019 that displaced thousands.
In a stark warning, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore stated that the current conditions are “almost worse” than those typically seen during a cyclone, underscoring the urgency for residents to heed evacuation orders.
+ There are no comments
Add yours