Brisbane flood to be worst in 118 years – ‘New flood records are being registered right across the state’
Brisbane Times with AAP
12 January 2011 Brisbane is headed for its worst floods since 1893, as a tenth flood death is confirmed. A disaster declaration had been made for the lower half of Queensland, including the greater Brisbane area, giving authorities forced evacuation powers if necessary. As the floods entered Brisbane yesterday, the city’s roads clogged up with a mass exodus of fleeing workers and residents stockpiled food as they were warned the worst was yet to come. In Ipswich, west of Brisbane, more than 1000 residents have evacuated their homes as floodwaters continued to rise in the city, amid warnings flood levels are expected to be greater than in 1974. … Bligh said the situation developing in Brisbane and Ipswich was “frightening”, with evacuations under way ahead of the Brisbane River’s expected peak on Thursday. “Ipswich and Brisbane are now facing their greatest threat and their toughest test in more than 35 years,” Bligh said. “The current predictions indicate that the river will continue to rise into Thursday, with flood levels expected higher than the 1974 peak.” … “So we do expect to see large-scale impacts in suburbs around Brisbane.” … Lord Mayor Campbell Newman also warned that the worst of Brisbane’s flooding was yet to come, with Thursday likely to be “devastating”. … Newman said the rain had continued and the forecast for the expected flood impact had worsened since yesterday. “The situation has obviously demonstratively deteriorated significantly,” Newman said. “Today [the flooding] is very significant, tomorrow is bad and Thursday is going to be devastating for the residents and businesses concerned.” More than 1000 Ipswich residents have evacuated their homes as floodwaters continue to rise in the city. The Bremer River was expected to peak at more than 21 metres overnight. … The swollen river rushed through parts of the city and a number of streets were completely submerged under metres of water. … Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said earlier up to one third of the city could be flooded when the Bremer River peaks. Pisasale said there were “hundreds of streets” that would be closing. “People have got to prepare for the worst,” he said. …
Brisbane flood to be worst in 118 years 
Sydney, 11 Jan 2010 (DPA) Floodwaters rolled into Brisbane Tuesday as Queenslanders were primed for deaths by the dozen, massive destruction and a recovery that could take years and cost billions of dollars. Roads were closed and residents of low-lying West End began moving out as the floods that have affected half of Queensland hit Brisbane, the state capital and Australia’s third-largest city. Forecasts for the next 48 hours recalled those that presaged catastrophic 1974 flooding in which 6,700 of the city’s houses were inundated and 14 lives lost. Brisbane, a city of two million and the centre of the state’s most populous region, was put on flood alert after a flash flood Monday tore through the Lockyer Valley town of Toowoomba, 126 km to the west. ‘The nation does need to brace itself for the fact that the death toll as a result of yesterday’s flash flooding and walls of water is likely to rise,’ Prime Minister Julia Gillard said. The tally in Toowoomba stands at eight, but with at least 72 people unaccounted for, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said: ‘We expect that figure to rise and potentially quite dramatically.’ Weather forecaster Brett Harrison warned that continued torrential rain would augment the floodwaters barrelling toward Brisbane. ‘Everything’s so saturated at the moment that it doesn’t take too much rain to increase the water levels on the ground,’ he said. With the deluge so great and the floodwaters rising so fast, what was expected to be an emergency later in the week arrived early. … Queensland Roads Minister Craig Wallace appealed to people to avoid further loss of life by not trying to drive on flooded highways. ‘I can’t make it any clearer: If you don’t have a good reason to be out on the roads, just don’t go,’ Wallace said. ‘New flood records are being registered right across the state. Evacuations may be needed, and we need roads clear.’ …
