Riverside city breathes collective sigh of flood relief
Lloyd Jones |
Residents of a riverside city have “got off very lightly” after a threatened flood peak failed to show, but a big-clean-up of low-lying sports and recreation grounds lies ahead.
The Bureau of Meteorology revised a flood warning forecast for the Fitzroy River at Rockhampton down from moderate to minor on Thursday morning.
City mayor Tony Williams said a predicted 7.3-metre peak, down from previous forecasts of eight then 7.5m, was expected to remain at that level for some days into early next week.
“Then we’ll start to remove from response to recovery and start to do the clean-up,” he told AAP.
“It’s been pretty good, as it’s been revised down … that minimises the amount of properties that are impacted.”
Rockhampton had escaped major damage but riverside sports club grounds and facilities were flooded and some high-blocked Queenslander houses may have water under them, Mr Williams said.
Damage assessments would be made as the water receded, he said.
“It would be difficult to go through another flood but we don’t know what mother nature’s got in store for us, so we’ll just have to work with what we’ve been given.”
Earlier this week, the mayor and police warned people not to swim in the fast-moving Fitzroy River as it could contain sewage, bacteria, drifting debris and crocodiles.
Rockhampton residents are no strangers to floods, the most recent major one inundating homes in April 2017, when the gauge hit 8.9m.
The Bureau of Meteorology said showers and thunderstorms were possible in the region over coming days, but were not expected to significantly impact river levels along the Fitzroy.
It said that further upstream at Yaamba flooding was easing following a moderate peak early on Wednesday.
Long-time Rockhampton resident Gary Whight, 73, said the city had “got off very lightly” following a “pretty small flood” compared to others he had witnessed since moving to the city in 1979.
The 2011 flood hit 9.2m, prompting evacuations as homes were flooded, with the city isolated for weeks by road and airport closures.
“I suppose if you live on the second-biggest river system in Australia you’ve got to expect it,” Mr Whight said.
During one flood in the 1980s, Mr Whight, who had a milk round, still made his deliveries, wading up to his waist from door to door to keep his customers supplied.
Livestock carrier Don Shwirmer, also a long-time local resident, told AAP the latest flood was just a small “waterhole” compared to previous big ones and there was always relief when the danger had passed.
AAP
